The Man she Never Knew
by Angelenna
Summary: Bella Swan's father has been dead for three years. She get's an invitation to spend the Christmas Holiday with the Cullens, where she learns more about her father than she ever thought. Throw in sexy Dr. Edward, and lemons later.
1. Chapter 1

The Man She Never Knew

AN: Okay so this story came to me, and this is my first Twilight FanFiction. I hope you all like it.

Summery: Bella Swan goes to Visit Carlisle Cullen three years after her father dies. She never really knew her father, and she hardly knows Carlisle, but sometimes big surprises come in some of the oddest ways.

I don't own Twilight, but I own this idea and the seven hundred books in my bedroom.

I sat there staring at my desk computer wondering why I came to work every day when I hated my job. It was the same thing every day, day in and day out I booked travel arrangements for everyone, well everyone but myself. Since Charlie died three years ago, I hadn't had much time to do anything for myself.

Since Charlie had died three years ago, it had killed me. My heart was ripped out of my chest, and it was as if I couldn't bring myself to breathe for a long time. When his will was read, I learned that Charlie had left me everything, and when I say everything, I mean _everything._ He had left me his house, all of his belongings, and the number to his best friend from college, Carlisle Cullen. I had phoned him a few days after the funeral and informed him of my father's passing. Carlisle I remembered slightly from my childhood where there was business between them.

Carlisle had invited me to join his family for the holidays many times, well every time to be completely honest, but I had always turned them down explaining conflict with work hours, or being ill, but the truth was that I was running out of excuses and I really needed a vacation.

So when Carlisle called me last night to invite me for Christmas and New Years, I couldn't say no. I informed my boss this morning that I was taking all my vacation time for the Christmas holiday. In three years I had collected seven weeks or paid vacation and I wanted them all for this trip. I had made a promise to Carlisle and I was not about to go back on my promise to him.

Michael was more than willing to give me the time off, and added the rest of the week as well. After work I called Carlisle and informed him that I would be arriving in Chicago at around noon Wednesday.

Tuesday, I spent packing up my suitcases and making arrangements for my friend, Jacob, to check on the house while I was gone. Once all of that was taken care of and finished I settled into my bed, knowing that I had to be up at two in the morning so that I would be able to make it to the airport on time for my flight.

~ * ~

How had I allowed Carlisle to talk me into this? I was at the airport awaiting the arrival of some woman I had never met flying in from Washington state so that I could bring her to my parents house for the holiday. I was tired from working a sixteen hour shift and the hospital, I hadn't slept in thirty six hours, and to say that I was a little pissed off about having to be in the airport waiting on this woman then have to deal with the lunch traffic would be stating it lightly.

I knew nothing about this woman that was arriving, other than what I was told by Carlisle last night when he phoned me at the hospital and asked me to do this for him. Normally I wouldn't have a problem doing anything that he asked, but like I said, I haven't slept in thirty six hours and the time was starting to really get to me.

I had known Charles Swan since childhood. He was my father's best friend, and very close to the family. He would come spend time every year with my father during the summer, and they would go over plans for the buildings that they were taking over. When Carlisle and Charlie got together on a project they were an unstoppable team. It was too bad Charlie always wanted to stay the silent partner, he had a brilliant mind. In all the time that I knew Charlie, I had never known that he had a daughter. He never talked about her. I didn't even find out about her until the night Carlisle called me to tell me that Charlie had died. He said that his daughter, Isabella, called to let him know. Carlisle knew he wasn't doing well; his last visit was to sell his part of their business to Carlisle and put the money into a trust.

I walked over to the arrival and departure boards to see if her flight was still arriving on time. I silently thanked the man upstairs for her arrival still being on time, and slowly walked towards the arrival gate. Her plane would be arriving in a few moments and then I would be able to drop her off and be on my way to get some much needed sleep.

It was strange that the airport was so busy for a Wednesday, didn't most people travel on Fridays or Mondays? But then again, this Isabella Swan was a travel agent, and wouldn't she know when the best deals for travel would be? I sat in one of the chairs by the gate to wait, wondering if this woman, this Isabella, would be anything like the joyous and content Charlie that I had come to know and love.

Charlie was a good man, and it deeply saddened me when I heard of his passing. I was glad that he wasn't suffering any longer, but the young boy in me missed him. Growing up I was rather close to him, and though I only saw him in the summers for a few weeks, that time with him was wonderful. He took me fishing, and told me the things that Carlisle wouldn't about life and love. He taught me that a woman, a good woman was worth waiting a lifetime for and that I shouldn't settle for anything less. Though Charlie's wife had left and divorced him many years ago, he still held close to the fact that she was the love of his life and that he would never for the rest of his life find another like her. Looking back on some of our conversations, I wonder if he didn't mention his daughter because she was like his ex wife.

Just then I noticed that the plane I was waiting on had finally landed, and people were beginning to come through the arrival gate. Standing there I watched as people met back up with their families, their lovers, and friends, but what caught my attention weren't these people, but a young woman, the last to come through the gate. She stood there with her head slightly down as if she were looking for the ground to swallow her whole. Her hair was a rich milk chocolate, long, but not overly so. My guess would be that when down it would come to just below her shoulder blades. She was of a small frame, with a body of a temptress, but the way that she carried herself was as if she didn't even see her beauty.

It was women like her that made a man become disarmed at the seam. Sonnets and poetry were written about women like her by poets like Byron and Hemmingway. They were deadly in the way of stealing away with a man's heart within the night, and this woman would be no exception. How I longed to be able to see her face, she was slightly hidden by having her head hang slightly down, but at least I could now make out all of her face with the exception of her eyes. Her lips had an inviting look to them. The upper lip was slightly more plump then her bottom, and they were a beautiful shade of pale brick red, with a slight shine when the light hit them, her nose was small, but not overly so, prefect for her face I was sure, and her skin though pale in comparison to most people, was like a rare ivory that brought out her natural body colors in a way I had never seen before. If the woman I was watching was Isabella Swan, Charlie had named her well, for even I could not deny that she was breathtakingly beautiful.

She stood there as if unsure of what her course of action was to be, so I stood from my chair and as I went to make a first step towards her, she looked up and straight at me. The vision that was her eyes stopped me dead in my step. Deep bottomless pits of chocolate and caramel mixed perfectly as one. There would be no trouble at all falling into them and being lost inside a stare like that. This woman was going to be trouble, and I knew that I was going to be powerless to stop it, I just didn't know if I was going to fight the attraction that was already there, or just allow myself to fall prey to her mystical ways.

Just then she smiled slightly and began to make her way towards me. Finally I was able to get my feet to move, and met her half way. We stared at each other for a moment, as if evaluating one another, and then she spoke, and I think my heart stopped. "Hello, you must be Carlisle's son, Edward. He told me that you would be picking me up from the airport."

Her voice was like soft wind chimes in the distance, it had a strange melody that reminded me of a lullaby. "Yes, I'm Edward, and you are Isabella?"

She had smiled brighter at me, but it was as if her smile never reached her electrifying eyes. "Yes, but please call me Bella, only my mother would call me Isabella."

I gestured that we should go to baggage claim so that she could pick up her belongings and she followed. By the time that we arrived there, most of the luggage had been picked up. Without a sound she walked away from me and headed toward the belt where I spotted three bags that had a red and black lace ribbon to it. For some reason it struck me as odd to tie lace on a bag, when it was just as easy to tie a shoelace or something like that to it. I grabbed up her bags putting one on my shoulder, one in my hand, and the other thank goodness was a roller, so that made it a little easier. "You don't have to do that, Edward; I know you just got off a long shift at the hospital and that you are tired." She said softly.

"It's no problem, really." I said to the angel next to me. "I'm probably just going to bring you to my parent's house and crash in my room. We should get going though; traffic at lunch time is terrifying." She laughed in earnest.

"Well then you may want to just shoot me where I stand, because I am going to ask a favor." I looked at her, waiting to see what this favor was, wondering if I was going to have to brave the city to give her what it was that she wanted. "I'm starving, I haven't eaten since two o'clock this morning, and the food on airlines is shit. I was hoping that you knew a place nearby that had stuffed French toast, and I would get you anything on the menu you wanted as payment. Please, I will be in your debt forever if you can just find me some good French toast and coffee."

I couldn't help but laugh at the woman. The smile on her face had finally reached her eyes, and it was breathtaking. "I know a place about ten minutes away, but if I do this for you, you are going to have to do more then buy my breakfast. Do you know what type of traffic is out there right now?"

She stared at me for a moment and giggled, yeah you heard me, she giggled and it was cute. "If it is anything like summer time in Jacksonville then I have an idea." She said as we walked out of the airport and towards the parking lot. We made it to my car and dumped her belongings into the trunk, I opened the passenger door for her and closed it when she got in and then folded myself into the driver's seat. I stated the car and pulled out to go to our next location. Breakfast here we come.


	2. Chapter 2

The Man She Never Knew

Chapter Two:

I stared at him as he pulled out of the parking lot. He was beautiful, but green eyes that reminded me of deep emeralds that sparkled like the midnight stars, a perfect nose, and a half smirk that made me think that he had a secret that no one else in the world knew. He was lean, but not overly so, muscle where it needed to be. I would have to watch myself with him; doctors were arrogant and egotistical when it came to women and though he was beautiful and mystifying, I refused to be another notch in someone's bed post.

He was staring at the road, and weaving through traffic as though the hustle and bustle of everyday travel was nothing. He was a man among men from what I could see so far, and though I knew this trip would be different somehow, sort of life altering in some sort of way, part of me wanted to know more about the man sitting to my left. It was as though there was a pull to him that no matter how hard I tried, I could not get away from it, and I could not explain it.

"So have you lived in Chicago your whole life?" I asked him to break the silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence; I just liked the sound of his rich voice. It reminded me of warm summer nights beneath the stars at the Jacksonville Beach. It was calming, and just what I needed at the moment for my nerves.

He looked over at me then back at the road. I guess it was to let me know that he had heard my question. "Umm, yeah for the most part, I went away to college of course, but other than the time I was gone we have always been here."

"And you are a doctor." It was more so a statement then a fact.

"Actually I am chief of staff at the hospital, and also the head surgeon. What about you? Carlisle said you are a travel agent?" he had asked me.

I didn't know how to answer him. Yes I was a travel agent, but there was more to it than just that. I took pride in helping people take their much needed vacations, couples planning their honeymoons, family vacation, even the trips that were heart breaking to put together I enjoyed knowing that I was making that persons burden just that much easier helped me. Most people wouldn't understand that I looked at my job as though it was a calling to help others, but I loved it all the same. "Yeah, something like that." I answered him.

Just then we pulled into this little parking lot that held maybe ten cars total when full. The place was a dive, a hole in the wall if I were to be honest with myself, and looking at it, I knew that inside would hold some of the best food I had probably ever tasted. One of the few things Charlie had taught me about eating out was that ninety nine percent of the time, if the place looked as though it were about to fall apart on the outside, the food inside would be to die for. I stepped out of the car and Edward was right there to close my door and take my arm to gently lead me into the diner.

We quickly found a table, and sat down. A moment later a waitress came over to the table and smiled at Edward. "Back again Mr. Cullen? Is this some record, or are you trying to give my mother a heart attack with your good looks. You know she practically faints every time you walk in here."

I stared at the young woman and thought that she was rather attractive. She was about five foot eight, chestnut curly hair that reached her mid back, bright blue eyes, and a soft mouth, I hated her on sight. She was beautiful and well put together, where I was clumsy and not well proportioned. Men flocked to women like her and when it came to women like me, they would politely turn in the other direction and walk away.

I couldn't help but inwardly sigh as I heard Edwards laugh, and secretly wish that it was I who had made him do so. His laugh was joyous and beautiful, everything a laugh should have with it. "Oh I don't know Erica, I just wanted to give your mother something to compare to, and get some breakfast for my friend here." He said finally directing the conversation towards me.

Erica looked over at me and smiled. "Mr. Cullen has been coming here for years, and he is our best customer." She said sweetly. "He always get's the same thing, but you are the first person he has ever brought with him. I had to be nosey."

I couldn't help but laugh at her explanation. "Well I'm just visiting the family for a little while. I'm Bella." I said reaching my hand out to her.

She took it and gave me a once over, still smiling. "I bet I know what you want. You want some strawberry stuffed French toast with extra cream cheese, and instead of coffee, you want warm sweet tea. Am I right?"

I stared at this woman in shock. She only had my looks and two sentences to go on and nailed me spot on. I couldn't believe it. "Umm, yes. How do you do that?"

She took a moment to think of the answer then sighed. "It's all in the eyes. Your eyes are sweet, and heavy with emotion, and that breakfast was the first thing that popped into my head. Mr. Cullen get's the same thing with the exception of wanting coffee with no milk and only sugar instead of the warm sweet tea."

"She had me pegged the first time I walked in, which is why I always come here. Plus their stuffed French toast it to die for and I thought I'd be generous and give you what it is that you wanted."

I couldn't help it, I laughed. "Well thank you for being so generous to me. I will have to remember your kindness and bring it back to you sometime."

~ * ~

Her laughter was made me smile. "Well thank you for being so generous to me. I will have to remember your kindness and bring it back to you sometime." She laughed.

"I'll be waiting." I answered smiling. She truly was a divine creature. "So." I said staring at her after Erica brought our drinks over. "Why did you pick now to come to Chicago? I know Carlisle has been inviting you here for a couple of years now."

She looked at me for a moment contemplating her answer. It was as if she didn't know how much information she should give. Finally she sighed. "Well the truth is I couldn't keep putting it off. I was worried that if I didn't come here soon, your father was going to come to me, and I couldn't have that. I have been putting this visit off for three years and I just couldn't do it anymore. A girl can only come up with so many excuses."

I looked at her then. "So you don't want to actually be here, is that right?"

I studied her for a few moments, her facial expressions I found to be rather intriguing, but for the first time, at a loss to guess what was actually going through her head. I had always been good at reading people, but her, there was nothing, not a clue to what it was that she was thinking at all. Personally I found it to be rather refreshing. She was different from other women I knew, and I liked it.

"It's not that I _don't want _to be here, it's more so leaning to the fact that I have no reason to be here. Carlisle hardly knows me, and as far as I know only saw my father once in the entire time I was a child, I don't feel as though I have a right to be here." She said softly.

"Your father was a good man." I couldn't help but reassure her of that. "He taught me a lot."

Her head snapped up to look me in the eyes then. "You knew my father?" she asked me, and the way that she had said it made it sound as if it were a loaded question. So instead of answering her I just nodded yes. "Then you would have known that he was a piece of shit that didn't give a damn about me." She said with softness to her voice that sounded as if she truly hated the man.

"That's not the Charlie I know, and I knew him rather well. We had a yearly fishing trip up until I went to college. He taught me a lot." I said again. I couldn't understand the hatred that laced this woman's voice. It was as though she saw my childhood hero as a murderer of some type. "Charlie gave me a lot of live and learn advice when we were together, and I wouldn't be the man that I am today if it wasn't for him."

Bella looked at me then with an emotion I couldn't place hiding in her eyes. "Charles Swan may have been that for you, but he was never that to me. The man hardly said fifteen words to me on any given day other than 'Do your damn homework' 'There better not be a B on your report card' Or the best one was 'Don't you have a friend you can stay with instead of always being here?' The man was a grade A asshole who didn't appreciate my mother, which is why she left his sorry ass, and he sure as hell didn't appreciate me."

I stared at her for a moment thinking that she had some serious daddy issues, but then realized that I had known Charlie my whole life, and he had never mentioned her ever, and then I began to wonder if what she was saying was the truth about Charlie, though he was wonderful with me and my family, maybe he did treat Bella wrong, maybe she did have the right to think of him as a sorry excuse of a father.

We sat there for a few minutes in an uncomfortable silence, neither one of us knowing what to say to the other, and yet part of me wished to know her story. The problem was I found myself truly wondering what it was that Charlie did to upset this beautiful woman sitting across from me. Just then Erica came back to our table with our orders, placed them on the table and smiled. "I suggest you dig in before momma comes out and gives you a hard time." She said walking away.

Bella looked down at her food and smiled as she unwrapped her silverware, taking her napkin and gracefully sliding it onto her lap, and then took her fork and cut a piece of her French toast shoving it into her mouth. After she chewed it and swallowed, she sighed happily. "Who would have thought I could find a place that makes better French toast than I do."

I couldn't help but laugh at her outburst. "I told you the food here was good."

She smiled. "Well I normally don't listen to a man when they talk food; most men can't cook other than in the microwave."

"I bet I could cook circles around you Miss Swan."

"Oh do you think so?" she said looking me straight in the eyes. "Well I will have you know sir that I have won many awards for my cooking, and I would take that bet."

I stared at her a moment noticing that she was being completely serious. "How long are you here for?"

"I took seven weeks off, but I was only planning to stay till the new year." She said softly.

"That's five weeks, plenty of time to wipe you across the kitchen floor." I laughed. Cooking was one of the few things I actually enjoyed doing since childhood, I just never had the time anymore with work. I was going to have to see about getting time off of work so that I could take her up on a kitchen cook off.

Bella looked at me and smiled. "Why don't we make a little wager on this then?" She couldn't suppress the laugh that was hiding within the chocolate pools of her eyes. "Winner gets to rub in the others face the rest of the time I'm here that they are better than the other."

"Don't you think that's a little too easy?" I asked her.

"No, but what do you have in mind?"

"How about if I win, you have to sit down and listen to stories about Charlie."

She looked at me with anger in her eyes but sighed. "Okay, but if I win, you have to never talk about him to me the whole time I am here."

"Deal." I said extending my hand to hers. She took it firmly into her hands and we shook. We made small talk through the rest of breakfast and then when the bill came argued about who was going to pay, which I had finally won. We got in the car then headed over to my parents house.


	3. Chapter 3

The Man She Never Knew

Chapter Three: Meet the Cullen Clan

By the time we left the little diner, it took about twenty minutes to get to Carlisle's house. I wasn't really in the mood to talk anymore to Edward. Though I was able to recover quickly from Edwards's statement about Charlie, I was still confused. Charlie had never treated me with love and respect. He wasn't abusive or anything like that, he just treated me like I didn't exist. I know that I really had no right to complain, with children out there that parents did drugs, drank heavily, and beat the hell out of them, but I always thought that all children had the right to be loved.

I guess it was because I looked so much like my mother that he just couldn't stand it. I always felt as though he didn't want me there, but he never sent me to Renee and I knew that I would never ask to go. My father though he made me feel unloved, I had loved until the day he had died. I was there, at his side the night he was called to leave this world, and the last thing he had ever said to me wasn't asking for forgiveness, or to tell me that he loved me even though he was a rotten parent, it was to ask me to do him a favor.

_~ Three Years Ago ~_

_I sat there staring at my father, dying before my eyes. Tears were streaming down my cheeks wishing that he would look at me. I knew it was asking a lot, but somewhere deep within my heart I guess the little girl that desperately needed her father was shining through, and I just wanted him to look at me and see me as his daughter, not the board that lived within his home for the last twenty-two years. _

"_Dad…" I said softly touching his hand. "Please, just look at me." My father never turned his head. "Charlie!" I exclaimed. "I'm your daughter, your own flesh and blood, and I am the only one that gives a damn whether you live or die. The least you can do is look at me just once!" I was sobbing openly. Why couldn't he just look at me, and see the pain that he was putting me through. Why couldn't he see that all I wanted, all I had ever wanted was for him to love me, and tell me that I was a good daughter just once, that he was proud of me? I didn't understand it, I wanted to, but I couldn't._

_Charlie started coughing uncontrollably and my heart leapt knowing that the end was near. "Charlie, please, just this once, look at me, I mean really look at me. I'm your daughter, your flesh and blood, and you can't even tell me that you're proud of me, that you love me. What's so bad about me that you can't even see the person that I have become that you can't love me! I have done everything for you, perfect grades, didn't get into trouble, never drank, tried drugs, all I ever wanted was an 'I'm proud of you' or 'Good job on that test' Jesus, I would have even been ecstatic for just a thank you! All you have done, really ever done is treated me as your ward or maid and had as little to do with me as possible. Was I that terrible a daughter that you can't even stomach looking at me?" still the man said nothing, as if I wasn't even there in the room with him. "Damn it Father! Will you at least acknowledge my presence here!?" I screamed at him._

_Finally, after it felt as though none of my words were heard, he looked at me. I mean really looked at me. I stood there with shock within my eyes waiting for him to say something. Finally he did. "Isabella, I want you to do something for me." There was a long pause as I stood there waiting to hear what it was that he wanted. "I want you to go and see…" he had stopped talking as another wave of coughing came. "Carlisle Cullen. He'll know who you… who you are… Carlisle Cullen, remember that name." I looked at him shocked. "Now get out of here." And with that Charlie went through another coughing fit, and then right there within moments, his eyes met mine, and he let out his breath, never taking another. _

_I stood there for a few minutes, staring at him laying there with no life left in his body, and allowed the last of my tears for the man that I grew up with to fall from my eyes. I promised myself then and there that I would never again allow myself to cry for this man, that he was not worth my tears ever again, and with a final goodbye to my father, I walked out of the room and allowed the doctor in to pronounce him dead._

_~ Present Time ~_

As we pulled up to this beautiful Victorian styled home, I tried to pull myself out of my memories of Charlie, and brace myself for this. I had only spoken to Carlisle on the phone, and the one memory I had of him was from childhood, so I didn't trust that he had still looked the same. I knew from conversations that he and I had that his wife's name was Esme, and they had three children. Emmet, who was the oldest, then Edward, the middle child, and their youngest was Alice. Alice was home for Christmas Vacation from college, this was her last year that she would have to attend.

Emmet had finished college seven years ago with a business degree, and owned his own auto-repair shop that he and his wife, Rosalie owned and operated. He had turned the small business into a high quality repair shop and though it was a little pricey, Carlisle assured me that his work was guaranteed and well worth it.

What I knew about Edward seemed to be much more than the others. He was classified as a gifted child at the age of three, child prodigy on the piano, and genius by second grade. He finished college at the age of sixteen, went to medical school and finished at the age of twenty where he was given a job right away and by the time he turned twenty-four he was promoted to chief of staff when his father stepped down. I knew without being told that Edward was his father's favorite, and though I didn't know him well, I could see why that was.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding when Edward parked his car and shut off the engine. He was looking at me strangely. I looked at him and sighed. "Are you going to get out of the car?" he asked me with a smile on his face.

I laughed, I couldn't help it. "That would be the smart thing to do, now wouldn't it."

Edward laughed and opened his door, stepped out and walked over to my side of the car. I still hadn't gotten out, and to be honest I was starting to question my sanity on why I finally decided to come here. When Charlie said that I needed to see Carlisle, I didn't want to do what he asked. He never gave me the one thing I had always wanted, why should I give him his dying wish? As I was debating this, Edward opened my door. "Come on Bella, time to enter the horrifying house of Cullen. I promise they won't be horrible, well, the most horrifying person in there hasn't arrived yet, but she's due in tonight. Beware of Alice, the woman will take you shopping within three days of you being here, and the only thing you are going to be able to think about once the two of you are done, is that you are going to want to soak your feet and cry in pain."

"Shopping can't be that bad." I said laughing.

Edward eyed me with worry. "Oh you'll see." He laughed. "I still suffer from nightmares of Alice and shopping. I'll make sure to stop by after your trip to make sure that you made it through."

I couldn't stop laughing at him. "No offence Edward, but you do realize that you are a guy, and most guys don't like shopping." We started walking towards the front door. As we started climbing the steps onto the front porch, the front door opened and a girl with black spiky hair with great fashion sense came flying through the door and launched herself into Edwards' arms, knocking him down the stairs where he landed on his back.

"Edward!" she exclaimed happily. "Where the hell have you been? Mom and Dad said that you were supposed to be here like an hour ago!" I was laughing so hard at the predicament that Edward found himself in that I didn't see the four others that entered onto the porch.

Edward pointed at me. "Bella was hungry, so we stopped by the diner near work and ate."

The girl that attacked Edward looked at me with a huge smile. "You're Charlie's daughter?" she asked.

I stared at her for a moment liking her already. "Yes, you must be Alice. I'm Bella Swan." I said walking over to her and extending my hand to help her off of her brother. "I've heard you're terrifying when it comes to shopping trips, so naturally I'm sure that's because Edward is a guy and doesn't know anything about a woman when it comes to a bargain."

Alice took my hand and smiled. "Are you a kindred spirit?" she asked me.

I laughed. "I don't mind shopping when I have the time. Part of the reason I came to Chicago, I hear they have some great shopping malls. I need some serious shopping therapy."

"We'll have to set up a shopping date in the next few days." She stated.

"As soon as I'm settled, we'll set it up." I agreed smiling.

"Oh dear god, we're in trouble." I heard a man say behind me. I turned and noticed four people standing on the porch. The older gentlemen walked down the stairs towards me.

He was taller than Edward by a few inches, with blonde hair with tinges of gray. He was attractive for an older man, and I could see that he had a boyish sort of quality to him. I instantly felt at ease near him. "Hello Isabella, it's nice to finally see you all grown up. I think the last and only time I ever saw you was when you were seven or eight."

"Six Carlisle." I stated. "It's nice to meet you as well, and I just want to thank you for inviting me into your home for the holidays."

""I'm just glad you finally accepted our invitation. I have waited a long time to meet you. Charlie always spoke highly of you."

I stared at him in disbelief. The topic of Charlie made me uncomfortable, and before I could make a comment about it, Edward came to my rescue. "Umm, Dad, how about you introduce Bella to the rest of the family?"

Carlisle and Edward shared a look between each other and Carlisle nodded. "My apologies Bella." He said with a calming smile. "Come meet the family."

We climbed the stairs and stood in front of the three others. Two women and a man stood there smiling at me. The older woman was beautiful, and I instantly saw where Edward got his looks from. She had beautiful brown hair that flowed down to the middle of her back, with bright caramel eyes, and a warming smile. The blonde woman had the look of a classic nineteen thirties model, long slender legs that reached to her nose, ice blue eyes that looked as if she had a secret that no one was allowed to know, but a warm smile on her face, and then the other man that had his arm wrapped around the blonde was a giant of a man with dark brown hair cut short, he reminded me of a giant bear, but not in a dangerous way. Before Carlisle was able to introduce me to them I took the lead. I turned towards the older woman. "Hello you must be Esme; it's a pleasure to meet you. Hello, you must be Rosalie, and you're Emmet. It is wonderful to meet you all, I'm Bella."

Emmet walked over to me and picked me up in a bear hug. "It's nice to meet you too! When Charlie would visit in the summers he would tell us about the crazy antics that you would do. Tripping down the stairs, blubbering the school play, when you fell in front of the whole school at your high school graduation, oh and the time"

"Emmet!" Edward exclaimed.

Emmet looked at him not understanding. "Well you were there you know." He said laughing.

"Yeah…" I said softly. How did they know all of this information about me? Charlie never said anything to me, and yet this family knew more about me then I knew of them.

"Why don't we go in and have some coffee. I'm sure you would like to rest and get settled before dinner." Esme said sweetly, and _I_ couldn't help but smile.

"That would be nice, thank you." I said. I turned around to head back to Edwards car to get my bags when I saw that he already had them and was carrying them up towards the house for me. "Thank you, but you didn't have to get them I would have gotten them."

"I don't mind, really Bella." He said, and we walked into the house.


	4. Chapter 4

The Man She Never Knew

**AN: Hello everyone that has been reading this story. I hope you are enjoying reading it as much as I am enjoying writing it. Just wanted to say thank you to icefang7, and TigerGirlNC for reviewing. Thanks for the love guys. At least I know someone is enjoying it. I hope to get out a chapter a day, but depending on how hectic my life gets we'll have to see. Enjoy chapter four!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, nor do I want to. The idea of having my very own Edward Cullen is nice though. (sigh) Well a girl can dream can't she?  
**

Chapter Four: Charlie and the shopping trip

Dinner with the Cullen family was interesting to say the least. Sitting at the table listening to Alice talk about her classes, and boyfriend, Jasper was rather entertaining. She was quoting things he said as if she walked in an orbit around him, and he her. She made it known that he would be arriving in a few days to meet her family, and to be honest, even though I wasn't family, I was looking forward to meeting him.

Edward still hadn't went to bed, but he had dozed off on the couch while we were talking after I had my belongings unpacked until Emmet had to ruin that by deciding that he needed to be awake with a guest in the house and sat on him. I sort of felt bad, because well, who really would want a big guy like Emmet to sit on you? Edward didn't talk much at the table other than to answer questions people had asked him.

Emmet and Rosalie were constantly arguing about what Christmas movie was the all time best. Rosalie thought it was A Christmas Story, Emmet was adamant that it was A Christmas Carol. Finally I looked at both of them and shouted so that they could hear me. "You're both wrong! The best Christmas movie ever is National Lampoons Christmas Vacation! Now stop it and eat your dinner!"

The room had been quiet for a moment until Esme yelled out laughing. "It's about time someone spoke the truth around here! Christmas Vacation has been around for twenty years, and I still laugh through the whole thing!" That statement started yet another argument with everyone over the best part of the movie which Esme and I ended at the same time about the squirrel coming out of the tree.

To say that I had never had so much fun at the dinner table before would have been the wrong term, which was an experience that I will never be able to forget, and never want to. Sitting with them at dinner made me feel, even for the briefest of time, like I belonged to a family. I felt as though I was part of their family.

After dinner Alice and I went to the sitting room to talk about our upcoming shopping trip. We had decided to do it tomorrow, because I was going to have to buy gifts for everyone, and who better to know where to go and what to get like Alice. "So what time do you want to go in the morning? With Christmas right around the corner we should leave sort of early."

I was staring at her for a moment, and smiled. "What time do the shops open?"

"It's a woman after my own heart!" she exclaimed. "Since its Christmas and all, the stores start opening at six."

I laughed. "So we are getting up at four so we can leave by five fifteen then, right?" I knew I had to be up that early if I wanted to shower and eat something first.

"Yeah, and then we can come home and go to sleep for a couple of hours."

"Hey count me in!" I heard Rosalie yell from the dining room. I couldn't help but laugh when I heard Edward groan.

He came walking out of the dining room then and walked over to us and sat down. "Bella, are you sure that you want to put yourself into Rosalie and Alice's hands? I'm giving you an out right now. I don't work tomorrow, I can save you."

I looked at him and smiled. "Do you want to be my knight in shining armor Edward?" I asked sweetly. He nodded. "Good, then you can make sure that you are up at four in the morning like the rest of us and carry my bags through the stores."

"That wasn't what I meant." He stated. "I was going to suggest that you hang out here and watch movies."

"Well you should have thought about that before you volunteered yourself little brother." Emmet yelled through from the dining room. "Don't you know what the navy stands for? If anything that should have taught you something."

"Navy?" I asked not understanding.

Alice laughed. "It's something with Emmet. He was going to join the navy then after doing research decided against it. He isn't against military or anything like that, it just isn't for him, and so he made up nicknames for each branch." Alice paused. "What was the one you have for the Navy Emmet?"

Emmet came running into the room. "Never again volunteer yourself. Edward did you learn nothing?!" He exclaimed. "Now you are going to have to go through the gates of Hades and be bag boy to a bunch of shop Nazis!"

Rosalie decided then to intervene. "Emmet Cullen! Unless you want to go through the gates of Hades with him you better shut your mouth right now! Better yet, you can stay home while I go and buy some really slutty lingerie to wear around the house and you can think about that knowing the whole time you aren't going to be getting any. How does that sound?"

Emmet shut his mouth right then and there. I couldn't help but laugh at him. "You know, it's really sad when a woman has you by the balls with sex, isn't it Emmet?" I said softly so that only the ones in the room heard the comment.

Emmet stared at me for a moment and then busted out laughing. "That's a good one Bella, it's about time you crack a joke."

"Huh, I never said I was joking." And with that Emmet went back to the dining room to make puppy eyes and Rosalie.

"Edward, you don't have to come with us, I know you're tired and need the sleep. I was just giving you a hard time."

Edward looked relieved to say the least. "Thank you." He said with a smile.

"Don't thank me yet. I want you to be up to at least help carry our bags in tomorrow. I mean that is the least you can do to save me."

"Fine." He sighed as he stood up. "I'm going to crash here tonight; I'm too tired to go to my place. Goodnight everyone." He said and started climbing up the stairs.

"Goodnight Edward." I called.

Carlisle was walking out of the dining room then and noticed I was standing up. I had a mind to go to bed as well. Four in the morning came pretty early for someone that had been up since two, but Carlisle had something else on his mind. "Bella, can we talk?" he asked. I nodded and followed him.

We walked down a hallway that led to the back of the house and entered a room. It must have been his office. He sat down on his couch and nodded for me to close the door and join him. I didn't mind in the least, Carlisle, I knew within the first few minutes of meeting him was a good man, and how he ended up involved with my father I had no idea. I took my seat next to him. "So, how is everything so far?" he asked me.

"It's good, I'm a bit tired, but I'm sure that has to do with the plane ride and then all the excitement since I got here. Your family is wonderful."

"Thank you." He said through a smile. "Your dad used to say the same thing to me."

And there it was, the reason he called me into his office. I knew that it was the reason he wanted to see me. I should have just asked to go to bed and deal with the whole Charlie thing tomorrow. "My father, are we really going to talk about him Carlisle?"

"Bella," he sighed sadly. "You may not realize this, but your father was a good man."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Charlie a good man, please tell me that you are joking. If you think Charlie was a good man then you are sadly mistaken." I was angry to say the least. How could my father love them and not me? How could he show them this wonderful and sweet side, and yet leave me feeling as though I didn't matter?

"Charlie wanted you to have something, which only I can give you." Carlisle began.

I couldn't let him go on. "Look Carlisle, I'm not here to fight with you about Charlie, but I refuse to sit here and listen to you sing the man's praises. I'm sorry, but I just cannot allow it. The man might have walked on water in your eyes, but that doesn't change the fact that he showed me the darkened void of space with every day that we lived together.

"I'm glad he was able to find a family with you and yours, but you know something? I was right there, the whole time! I never got what I wanted. I never got my father's approval, or a hug, not even a damn thank you so you know what? Next time you want to preach about that oh so damn wonderful Charles Swan, remember that the man that you knew and the man that I knew were two entirely different people. I guess you can be the sinner and the saint at the same time. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go up to my room and get some sleep." I said as I walked out of his office and headed towards the stairs. I felt the eyes of the others on my back, but I refused to lay my head down and pretend that I had no right to say what I said. Charlie may have been his best friend, but Charlie was my no good excuse of a father, and I think daughter trumps best friend and day of the week.

As I laid there in bed, I couldn't help but think of what I had said to Carlisle. I knew that I was wrong for saying what I said the way that I did, but Charlie was always a touchy subject, and I hate when someone tries to tell me that he was such this wonderful guy, when they weren't the ones that lived with him. I fell asleep with the thoughts of my childhood on my mind.

Waking up at four in the morning was a really dumb idea when I didn't sleep as well as I had hoped to. I made my way to the bathroom and quickly showered then dressed. I tied my hair back in a messy bun and began to head down the stairs. I heard music coming from the sitting room and entered. Edward was sitting there playing one of Mozart's pieces and I stood there to listen. It was as if the melody danced around my soul, and captured me as its prisoner.

I stood there not paying attention to my surroundings when I heard Alice whisper in my ear. "Edward must have had a nightmare. That's the only time he plays this early in the morning." I just nodded but continued to watch him. His eyes were closed as if he was feeling the music flowing through him, and I couldn't help but smile at the fact that he could entrance me with his playing.

I felt someone nudge me and looked to see Alice with two cups of coffee in her hands. "I'm guessing you like yours sweet with just a little milk." She said with a smile.

I just nodded not taking my eyes off of her brother. Watching Edward in his element was something that I thought I would never be able to see again, and I was going to soak up as much as I could while I had the chance. He had just finished playing the Mozart composition and was about to launch himself into another one when Alice called from the kitchen. "Could you play some Bach or Mendelssohn?"

Edward looked up then and saw me standing there. I smiled awkwardly feeling as though I was the cat caught with the canary. He smiled back. "I didn't realize it was around the time you all were getting up." He said softly.

I made my way over to him with a smile. "You play wonderfully. I enjoyed it very much."

"Do you play?" he had asked me. At first I thought about the question wondering if I should answer him or not.

"If you are talking the piano the answer would have to be no, I never learned."

"Do you play any instruments?" he asked.

"I do. I taught myself the guitar. I enjoy it very much." He didn't need to know that I picked it up with the hopes of getting some type of comment from Charlie. When you're fifteen and your father doesn't pay attention to you, you'll use whatever you can to get his attention even for just a moment.

Before Edward had a chance to comment back, Rosalie came busting down the stairs calling the girls towards the door. "Well I better go. I'll see you later today?" I asked him.

"Yeah I'll be here later. Have fun shopping, say hello to Hades for me." He called as we began to walk out the door. I couldn't help but laugh. If this shopping trip was going to be anything like Hades, then I would gladly go through it, because nothing short of an anvil falling down upon my head was going to ruin my good mood thinking of Edward playing that piano.

We had been shopping for the past three hours and the only one that didn't have their arms full was Rosalie. "I already did all my shopping." She exclaimed happily.

Alice looked at her with a smile. "You didn't buy for my boyfriend, and I know for a fact that he bought you something." She said laughing.

I was pretty much done shopping; I had a few more things to buy but nothing that couldn't wait a day or two. Rosalie and Alice helped me with everyone's gift, and they told me the type of things they liked, so they were going to be easy. We were walking by the piano store when a thought struck me out of nowhere. "Hey Alice, does Edward have his own office at the hospital?"

"Yeah why?" she asked me looking unsure of where my thoughts were going.

"Does he happen to have a keyboard there?" I continued on. I hadn't been able to get the image of him playing out of my head, or that beautiful melody all day and I thought of his perfect gift.

"No he doesn't." she said. "Why are you asking me that?"

"I just thought of something was all." And I continued with the girls out of the mall, writing myself a mental note about the music store and Edward.


	5. Chapter 5

The Man She Never Knew

Here's Chapter five, I hope you all enjoy it, and I am starting on chapter six tonight so it will be posted tomorrow. I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter Five:

As I lay in bed, trying to sleep, my thoughts were on Bella, and the conversation she and I had had in the diner. I couldn't understand how the man I knew so well, and looked up to as a father figure could in some way treat his daughter the way that Bella made him out to be. How could Charlie show my family all the love in his heart, and yet show her nothing. The thought of that plagued me.

When I was finally able to get my mind to calm, I slept terribly. Finally after waking for the fourth time I rose out of bed and made my way to the sitting room where my piano sat. For some reason whenever I was having too many thoughts dancing around in my head, music seemed to be the only thing that would put the thoughts at ease and allow me some peace.

I sat there at the piano for a few minutes with my fingers touching the keys lightly. This was my favorite part; right before you actually began to play when the adrenalin hits and you start to pull yourself into your mind, and just let your fingers do the talking. I finally felt my fingers begin to play Mozart's Symphony #40 in G minor, and was swept away with the composition.

I had just finished playing and was about to start on a Chopin Composition, when I heard Alice call from the kitchen. "Could you play some Bach or Mendelssohn?"

I looked up then and saw Bella standing there. Her smile had an awkward feeling to it, as though she was the cat caught with the creamer. I couldn't help but smile back. "I didn't realize it was around the time you all were getting up." I said softly knowing that my playing may have been disturbing her.

She made her way over to me with a smile. "You play wonderfully." My smile grew slightly at the complement. "I enjoyed it very much."

"Do you play?" I had asked her. She had a look on her face that made me think it was a question that she didn't know how to answer, or if she really would answer.

"If you are talking the piano the answer would have to be no, I never learned." She said with a small smile. That piece of information made me realize that she did play something; I was willing to bet it was the flute or something.

"Do you play any instruments?" I added hoping she wouldn't become embarrassed and shy away.

"I do. I taught myself the guitar. I enjoy it very much."

Before I had a chance to comment back, Rosalie came busting down the stairs calling the girls towards the door. "Well I better go. I'll see you later today?" She had asked me.

"Yeah I'll be here later. Have fun shopping, say hello to Hades for me." I called as they began to walk out the door.

After I had heard Rosalie's car start and head down the driveway, I decided to try and get some more sleep. Emmet, mom, dad and I were supposed to be going to breakfast in a few hours, and if I didn't want to be cranky with them I needed just a little more sleep.

It was a little after eight in the morning when I woke up again. I quickly threw on some clothes and walked downstairs.

"It's about time you got up." Emmet said. "There are some starving people here you know."

"Emmet, I don't think you can really claim being a starving person." I said with a laugh. "So where are we going?"

Esme looked at me with a smile. "I thought we could go to the old diner, we haven't been there in a while. Your dad is going to meet us there." So we all left the house and got into my mother's car. I decided to jump in the front seat, just so I could hear Emmet complain about being too big for the back.

We were sitting there at our table eating dinner when Emmet decided to bring up the topic we all wanted to talk about but didn't know how to approach. "So Dad, what's up with this Bella girl? I mean, I know she's supposedly Uncle Charlie's daughter and everything, but what's her story, and why does she hate Uncle Charlie so much?"

I stared at Emmet for a few moments wondering what made him bring it up, and do it in a sort of nice way, when Carlisle spoke. "Uncle Charlie and Bella's relationship had been complicated since Renee left. I don't know if I should tell you much."

I looked to Carlisle. "Umm this woman is staying in our family home, and I have never met her before yesterday, I would sort of like to know why she's really here dad." I said to him. "I mean I think we have a right to know."

Esme sighed. "Edward you met Bella when you two were very little, too little to remember. Bella came down with Charlie for a week when things first started getting bad with Renee. She had never wanted children, but Charlie did, oh he wanted Bella so much that when he found out that Renee was planning to get an abortion he was adamant on it not happening. When Bella was born, Renee started cheating on Charlie, and he threw a blind eye to it.

"Charlie used to be a devoted father, and in a lot of ways was still a devoted father after Renee left, but he withdrew himself from her life because she reminded him too much of Renee, and he didn't want to taint her with his touch. He was worried that he would raise her the way that Renee was, and it was something that he didn't want. That was why he came here every summer. He didn't have to worry about rubbing wrong on you guys, you were boys and had both your parents, so he was able to shower the love he couldn't on Bella to you.

"I'm not saying he was right, in fact I had told him on a number of occasions that he needed to step up and be a father to his own child, but the thing with Charlie is that he's going to do things his way and no other way. Bella grew up without a father, that is true, but she is still our family, and we love her. We don't know a lot about her, but she is still family. She's all we have left of Charlie. Would you turn her away, or try to keep her?"

I stared at my mother seeing what it was that she was trying to say. "You know she and I talked a little about Charlie yesterday. She hates him, and she is resentful for the way he was with her. I can't blame her."

Carlisle sighed. "Edward Charlie did what he thought was best."

I didn't let my father continue. "What he thought was best? Well have you not taken a look at his daughter?! What he thought was best scarred her for life! How can you say he did what was best? How can I believe everything that he told me, when he couldn't even treat his own daughter with the love and respect that she deserved! I don't understand how someone could be like that to anyone let alone her." To say that I was angry about the relationship that Bella and Charlie would have been a horrible understatement. Bella was a good person and I didn't like the fact that Charlie, the man I looked at like a father could be that way with her. I rose from my seat, kissed my mother and told her I was taking a cab back to the house. I needed some time alone to think, and I knew that I wasn't going to find it here.

Luckily there was a cab sitting on the corner when I walked out so I wasn't going to have to hail one. Making it home about fifteen minutes later, I walked out into the sitting room and sat at my piano. I didn't feel like playing, instead I decided to just sit there and think about Charlie and our conversations that we had had while fishing over the summers when he would visit.

_~ Nine years ago ~_

_We had sat there on the boat for a good hour in comfortable silence. They had already caught two fish and Edward was bringing in the next one when Charlie finally spoke. "So Edward, how's your love life? Any special girl taking over your thoughts yet?"_

_I couldn't help but laugh as Uncle Charlie. "No Uncle Charlie, I'm a love them and leave them type of guy." I laughed harder at his wording._

_Charlie sighed. "You know something Edward?" he asked me._

"_I know a lot of things Uncle Charlie." I smiled._

"_Don't be a smart ass." He sighed. "Edward being young like you are is okay to be a love them then leave them type of guy, but you need to know something. When you are older, this" he said waving his hand around the lake. "isn't going to be the biggest place you have ever been. These visits to the lake in the summers aren't going to mean so much to you one day. You'll always have the words of wisdom from an old fart like me, but someday you're going to realize that your Uncle Charlie tried to teach you from his mistakes, and when that time comes I want you to remember one thing. Love, and I am talking about real love, the type of love that you would do anything for, go against your family, stand on a line that you know you shouldn't cross, makes you question everything you know to be true, and yet all of that means nothing compared to knowing that at the end of the day she'll be there for you to take the stress of the day away with a single smile or loving look. Don't you settle for anything less than that."_

_I couldn't help but feel as though he had just given me the most important piece of information that I would ever receive from him. "Okay Uncle Charlie, now can we quit being all serious before you scare all the fish away?"_

_~ Present time ~_

Thinking about that day with Charlie made me angry. The man had told me that true love was the most important thing in the world, and yet the man couldn't even tell his own daughter that he loved her. I slammed my hands against the keys. "How could you do this to her…" I said to myself thinking of Charlie. "How could you stand there for twenty-two years and never tell that girl you loved her; that she actually meant so much to you."

I couldn't take thinking about it anymore and just went up to my room to sleep this whole day away. Bella deserved to be happy, not depressed and angry at his family for seeing the side of Charlie that the arrogant bastard couldn't show her himself. But even in this horrible turn of events where Bella opened his eyes and ruined his hero, even he could possibly see a silver lining. He had promised Bella an all out war in the kitchen and damn it, it would happen and he would win. He could harbor bad feeling towards Charlie, but Bella needed to know the man that was her father.


	6. Chapter 6

The Man She Never Knew

**AN: Hello my lovely readers! I want to thank all that have reviewed! IceFang7, thanks for the great reviews. TigerGirlNC, thanks for enjoying my writing, Aerobee82 I'm glad you think this is an amazing story, and I hope it continues to be. Now Aerobee82 asked told me that they can't understand why I am not getting more reviews, and the answer to that, is tons of you are getting alerts. I would love to get more reviews, but I am not the type to beg. So if you like the story, please let me know.**

Chapter Six:

Shopping with Alice and Rosalie was therapeutic to say the least, but I was glad we were finally heading back to the house. My feet were killing me from all the walking, and I wasn't sure if Edward had been completely lying about how shopping with them was like entering the gates of the underworld, blowing out Hades hair and thinking he wasn't going to be pissed off. That thought made me laugh.

"What's so funny?" Alice asked me.

I looked at her and Rosalie and laughed harder. "Really it's nothing, but if you want to know, I was thinking about what Edward said with the whole shopping and Hades thing."

"Why is that funny, do you agree with him?" Rosalie asked me. I stared at her for a minute and laughed again.

"No, at least where you guys are concerned. I guess I haven't been shopping in so long that this excursion has been too much for my little tootsies. They feel as though Hades is trying to pull them into the river."

Alice assured me that we were done with the exception of one more store, and then we would be going back to her house. While Alice and Rosalie were looking around the clothing store, I couldn't help but think about the last thirty-six hours. The Cullen's were good people, and took me in with open arms. I could see the appeal of Charlie coming here. They could easily make you forget your problems for a little while, and with me being Charlie's problem it made sense that he would leave to come here.

I was so deep in thought that I hadn't realized that the girls had made their purchases and were heading out of the shop until Alice grabbed my arm. We walked to the car and headed back to the house.

As we walked into the house I heard someone clattering about in the kitchen. I went up to my room and dropped off my bags then headed down to the kitchen. I was starving! Just having the bagel this morning and coffee made me wish for the little diner Edward had taken me to. Entering the kitchen, I spotted Edward looking through cupboards and writing things down. I watched him for a minute while in the cupboard, then couldn't help but laugh as he wrote something down. His tongue was poking out of the side of him mouth as he wrote something down, it was just the cutest thing I have ever seen an adult do. "What are you doing?" I asked him through my laughter.

He looked up at me and smiled. "I'm making a shopping list of everything that we are going to need." He said simply.

"We?" I looked at him strangely.

"Yeah, our cook off is going to be today. Are you up for it, or do you concede this battle?"

I looked at him as if he were crazy. Why would I admit defeat? Laughing at him I started to laugh. "And who is going to be the judge of this epic cook off?" I asked him.

He thought about it for a moment and then said. "Well since my father has to work today, I was thinking that it could be Alice, Rose, Emmet, and my mom."

Well that left me at an unfair advantage, but then again, I wasn't too worried about it, I would just make my best dish and desert for this battle of the culinary arts. "Okay then, when are we leaving for the store?"

"Oh you don't have to go, I can do it, and you can take a nap. I don't want you to use lack of sleep as an excuse for you losing."

"You're a cocky little bastard aren't you?" I laughed. "There is no way that I am going to let you go to the store alone, you could end up buying already made meals and hiding them to cheat and win."

Edward looked at me with a fake shocked expression. "Well I never!" he exclaimed.

"What? Been called at cocky little bastard? I'm surprised to be honest." I was still laughing.

"You're something else Bella, you know that?" he said picking up the list. "Well come on and let's get to it, I have a cook off to win."

We were heading out of the kitchen, when I thought of something. "Edward, you have seven extra coffee cups right?"

"Why?" he asked.

I laughed again. "Stop fishing for information on my meal and answer the question."

"Yeah there are extra cups." He grabbed my hand and shocked me. "Now come on, we got to get this done so I can wipe you across the floor."

"In your dreams Cullen." I laughed as we walked out of the house and to his car. We got in and drove to the grocery store.

~ * ~

The moment I climbed into the driver's side of my car Bella started laughing. I didn't know what she found so funny, but with her being in such a great mood, it lifted me out of my funk from this morning. Thinking about Charlie wasn't going to help to get to know his daughter. "What's so funny?" I asked her beginning to laugh along with her. There was just something about this woman that she could make her mood shine on me, lifting my spirit along with my soul.

It took her a moment to calm herself enough to answer my question. "I was just picturing you in the kitchen. No offence Edward, but you are a pretty boy, and I am willing to bet that you don't have much knowledge in the kitchen. You have probably had your flavor of the week cooking for you."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Flavor of the week? I hardly have time for myself, what the heck would make you think that I had time for a flavor of the week?"

"All playboys have flavors of the week." She stated simply. We were sitting at a red light and I stared at her shell shocked. Was this woman serious? Did she honestly view me as a love them and leave them type of man? Sure that had been me in college, but that was when I was young and thought I knew it all. "Come on Edward, there is no way you expect me to believe that you are not sleeping with many different women."

"What would make you think that I was?" I asked as the light turned green. I really wanted to hear her logic on this.

"Edward, I know you have looked in a mirror. You are not blind, and I know you know that you are a very good looking man. You're what women call eye candy, what wet dreams are made of, so don't sit there and pretend that you don't know what I am talking about. I bet you have all the nurses at the hospital constantly throwing themselves at you. Can you honestly sit there and tell me otherwise?"

I hated to admit it, but she was right to an extent. Woman practically threw themselves at me hoping I would take them to bed and make love to them, but that rarely happened. Like I had told her I hardly had time for myself let alone a love affair, but there were a few women that were able to find their way into my bed since college and med school. I was a man, not a saint.

I sighed as we pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store. "Bella, I never said that I was a saint, but that doesn't make me a whore either." I paused and looked at her. "And what about you? You are beautiful, funny, intelligent, and are you going to tell me that you don't play the field?" I asked her.

She looked at me with genuine surprise in her eyes. "Beautiful? Edward, are you feeling alright?" she laughed then while shaking her head. "Come on, let's get what we need and go back to the house for this cook off." And she climbed out of the car and walked to the other side of the car. I was just sitting there shocked that she really didn't know how beautiful she really was. It angered me again thinking that he father should have told her she was beautiful, wonderful, funny sweet, intelligent, and everything else that made Bella who she was.

I felt the driver's side door open and Bella reach in to unhook my seat belt. She then grabbed my arm, pulling me out of the car. "Wake up pretty boy and let's go, I'm excited about our contest."

Reluctantly I stepped out of the car and we began walking to the store. I went to grab a cart, and as I pulled it out from the other carts, Bella jumped into the basket with a laugh, and said. "To the isles good sir!"

We were laughing through the whole ordeal. She was grabbing herbs and spices from the cart while I was getting things she couldn't reach. I would have been lying if I said that this wasn't the best shopping experience of my life. I couldn't remember ever enjoying shopping, but with Bella, it was as if we did this all the time. I was at ease with her, and I didn't feel as though I was trying to keep her or myself comfortable. It was just natural. We moved like it was second nature together, we bickered over items like an old married couple, fighting over cans of condensed milk, granulated sugar to confectioners' sugar, rosemary to thyme; the arguing was endless. It got to the point that she made me call my mother and hand her the phone and told her that I had stuffed her into a shopping cart and was throwing groceries at her! I called her a tattle tale, she called me a bully, I called her a snitch, she called me a punk, and yes this really was the best shopping experience that I had ever been on.

~ * ~

To say that shopping with Edward was fun happened to be a huge understatement. I had never felt so carefree until shopping with him. I didn't have to reign in my personality with him. Around my close friends, I was sarcastic and carefree, which I had not expected I would be here, and yet with Edward, I wasn't afraid to show that side of me, the real side of me that I hid from everyone that didn't know me all that well.

While we were in the checkout line I waited until he wasn't paying attention to what I was doing, grabbed an orange out of the bag, and pegged it at his head. I had to pay him back for the tattle tale comment. He whirled around and glared at me. I couldn't help it; I stuck out my tongue at him and started laughing.

The cashier looked at me, smiled then directed her attention to sex on a stick, as known as Edward. "You two are just too cute together!" she laughed. "How long have you been together?"

Edward and I looked at each other then burst out laughing. "You think that we're-?" Edward started laughing harder.

"We just met for the first time yesterday." I stated through my laughter. "Our fathers knew each other from college."

The cashier stared at us. "You would think you two have been together for years." She said surprised while I continued to put the groceries on conveyor belt.

Edward looked at me. "Are you planning on staying in that cart until we get back to the car, or are you going to get your snitching butt out and help me?"

"Well," I said looking at him in fake shock. "I would have gotten out and helped but you had to insult me and call me a snitch, so you can go ahead and bury me with the bags, I'll get out when we get to your piece of shit car." I started laughing.

"My car is not a piece of shit." He stated while he threw the first two bags on top of me literally. "I love my car, and if you want to make it back to the house I suggest you stop disrespecting my baby."

"Man whore!" I exclaimed laughing. "If it isn't women it's that damn car. I bet that's where you do it. Am I right?" Edwards face began to turn pink, and I laughed harder. "You aren't even going to deny it?"

Edward sighed lifting the rest of the bags and burying me with them. "What's the point, you'll just continue ranting and raving, why should I conclude that you'll stop?"

"Because it's fun." I stated laughing. "Now pay the woman pretty boy so we can go cook."

Edward paid the cashier and then led me out to the car. I handed him the bags so he could put them in the trunk of his car and then he lifted me out of the cart and placed me on the ground. "Let's get going before I throw you in a snow bank or something." He said laughing.

"Oh you love it Cullen." I laughed getting into his car.

"Yeah yeah." He said opening his door and getting in as well.


	7. Chapter 7

The Man She Never Knew

**AN: Well here is Chapter seven, I hope you enjoy it. things are going to start heating up with our heroes in the next chapters so keep an eye out. Also thanks to my reviewers, I love ya! Please keep it up so that I know I am doing a good job and making you proud of what it is you're reading! Take care!**

Chapter Seven: Can't stand the heat, put on an oven mitt

We had arrived back at the house screaming at each other. "How dare you blame Gizmo for what happened to the gremlins! Gizmo was so cute and sweet. I bet you liked that freaky Rambo one." She wailed in my face. I just shrugged.

"Do you think it possible to lower the decibels? I don't think China heard you."

She looked at me with a glint in her eye which made me twitch. She was a scary woman, had a temper, was hot blooded, and I was falling in love with her. I was fucking screwed. "Lower the decibels? You just tried to kill me!"

I grabbed her by her shoulders. "If I wanted to kill you, I would have left you in the gutters!" I exclaimed. Anyone that was watching would think she and I were being serious, but in truth, this was all a game for us, to see who would be the one to crack first and succumb to laughter.

"Well thank you Mr. Higgins for taking a poor degenerate off the damn street!" she hissed. '_Good one on the my fair lady comment.'_ I thought to myself.

"God knows you aren't even worth the trouble, not even the two pence I paid for you!" Oh yeah I basically called her a prostitute. "I didn't even get my-"

"Don't you finish that sentence!" she exclaimed. I knew that was below the belt, but hey she called my car a piece of shit. She walked and stood right in front of me her hand reaching to ghost over my face and to cling to my neck as she pulled her lips to my ear. Giving my lobe a quick flick with her tongue she whispered. "Don't be jealous that someone more qualified to handle me got there first." And she backed away with a smile on her face. I couldn't help but laugh. Not only about what she had said, but also because everyone was standing on the porch watching us. All of them had looks of horror and shock upon their faces, it was priceless!

I walked to the trunk and pulled the latch. "Get your butt over here and do something useful, like carry my bags in wench." I said laughing.

"But I haven't even seen the tavern yet." She said through a pout.

I looked at her. "You'll get your lashes for disobeying me if you don't do what your master says." I threatened. It was then that my mother decided to make her presence known.

"EDWARD ANTHONY CULLEN!!! I KNOW YOU JUST DID NOT CALL BELLA YOUR SLAVE!" she screamed from the porch, which brought Bella into a fit of hysterics.

"I did mother. She is but an item. The scum beneath my shoes on the dirt. Speaking of which," I said keeping my voice level though Bella could see the laughter within my eyes. "I believe Isabella that you are to wash my feet when we enter my home. I want you to use your tongue."

That did it for Bella. She busted out laughing. "Alright Cullen," she said getting her laughing under control for a moment. "You win this round, but I will get you in the next one." She reached over me and grabbed half the bags and proceeded to the porch. She looked at everyone on the porch and smiled walking towards the door. "Emmet, Rosalie, Alice," and then her laughter began to come out again when she looked to my mother. "Esme." And she booked in the house.

I was trying to follow her when my mother grabbed my arm and held me there. "What was that about?" she asked.

I looked at her. "We created a game. It started at the grocery store, and we have yet to tire of it." I started laughing. "Bella's quite spunky." I added walking into the house and to the kitchen.

Bella was busy taking things out of the cupboards and putting them down on the counter she and I were going to be sharing. I had noticed that she had already put two large cutting boards onto the counter. Watching her in the kitchen was amazing, this was her element. She sped through the kitchen as if she had lived her all her life when only she had been here little more than a day. It was an amazing sight indeed. If I were being perfectly honest with myself, I was already worried about what life was going to be like once she left. I was not dumb enough to think that everything would go back to normal, and yet, I didn't want it to either.

How could someone have come to mean so much to me in such a little amount of time? I admitted that I didn't love her, yet, but there was no denying that within the weeks that she was here that I wouldn't, hell I would say within days.

I shook my head at the freak of nature in my mother's kitchen and laughed. "Everything almost ready?" I asked her.

She spun and looked at me. "Yes, now on to the rules. We are to make a snack, meal, and desert in ninety minutes, correct?" she asked to be sure.

"I thought we only had to do a meal and desert." I said confused.

"Yeah well they need something to munch on if they have to put up with us fighting over the paprika. I vote you put x-lax in their snack." She whispered loudly.

I laughed. "I'm trying to win, not get my ass kicked by my mother." I said back to her. "So what are you making?"

She looked at me. "Nothing you have ever heard of before." She said with a smile, though I'm sure you will be envious."

I wanted to kiss that smile right off her pretty little face. I would have too if my mother hadn't chosen that moment to walk into the kitchen and ask us when we were planning to start our war. I had decided to stay silent and see what Bella would say.

"The war will be starting shortly. I'm just pulling down the spices." She said sweetly.

It took about fifteen more minutes to get everything ready and then Esme, Alice, Emmet, and Rosalie entered the kitchen and sat down at the table. I'm sure they were hoping to see a show, and I was positive that Bella and I would be giving them one. Esme set the timer for ninety minutes and as soon as she said go Bella and I were zooming around the kitchen.

~ * ~

It was like watching the hummingbird flit around in the sky looking for the perfect flower. They were graceful and moved to each others orbit like they had been doing it for years. I wouldn't have ever thought I would see the day of an actual soul mate, but they had proved a liar out of me. "Edward! Give me back the rosemary! You don't even need it!"

"No, but you do!" he exclaimed. I watched as Bella grabbed his chopping knife and put it next to her salad dish. Bella already had her lemon pepper chicken in the oven, and almost done the salad when Edward stole the one spice she needed for her dressing.

"Edward! Give me the damn rosemary or I am going to destroy your stuffed cabbage!" she shrieked. Edward went to grab for the finished dish when Bella grabbed it off of the counter and threatened to dump it into the trash.

"You wouldn't dare!" he exclaimed.

Bella laughed. "Do you really want to test that theory?"

Edward stared at her for a moment and then sighed. "You don't play fair." He said putting the rosemary back on her side of the counter.

She handed him the stuffed cabbage and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "I never said I did." She went back to work humming some song.

"What song are you humming?" I asked her.

Bella looked at me and blushed. ""Oh it's a Tracy Chapman song, Alice." She said blushing further. "It's called Give me One Reason." Bella then went back to her task at hand by pulling six coffee mugs down from the cupboard and setting them up next to each other.

She grabbed the flour and started spooning four spoonfuls into each cup, then the same with the sugar. She continued putting the dry ingredients into each cup then mixed them well. She then cracked an egg into each cup and mixed that well. Finishing putting all the ingredients of the recipe into the mugs and stirring, she took the first mug and put it into the microwave starting it at three minutes.

She began cutting up strawberries still humming the song, then started singing it in the middle of the song. "I don't want no one to squeeze me – they might take away my life. I don't want no one to squeeze me – they may take away my life. I just want someone to hold me, and rock me through the night."

"I'll rock you through the night." Edward muttered, but Bella didn't hear him because she started dancing to the music that was playing in her head while singing the next part and continuing working.

"This youthful heart can love you yes, and give you what you need. I said this youthful heart can love you and give you what you need. But I'm too old to go chasing you around wasting my precious energy." Just then the microwave went off, and she danced over to it pulling out the first mug and putting in the second.

Edward was just staring at her. "You better hurry, she's going to beat you Edward" Rosalie laughed.

"That would be so damn funny." Emmet laughed. "Really puts all your cooking classes to shame if you think about it."

Bella looked at him. "You took cooking classes!" she exclaimed. "That gave you an unfair advantage!"

"Well, look at you!" he exclaimed. "Using the microwave as an oven?! Who does that?"

"Well as you can see, I do, so get the hell over it!" she yelled switching out yet another mug.

"God you're such a crybaby. Need some milk?" she laughed.

"Need a tampon?" he bickered back.

"Just shut it and finish cooking, we only have twenty minutes and I can't keep allowing you to distract me." And Bella switched out the last two coffee mugs. Edward was adding the sliced pears into the watermelon basket that he had carved then went to pull out his rigatoni from the second oven. He was putting it onto plates as Bella was taking the cakes out of the coffee mugs and putting them onto plates. She covered them with a frosting of chocolate sauce, strawberries and confectioners sugar. They finished at the same time.

Edward carried his dish over first, and we sampled everything. "This is really good." Esme said with a smile. "You used my recipe, didn't you?"

He smiled at our mother. "Of course I did, I needed some type of edge to this contest, and everyone loves your cooking."

"Stuck up cheater…" Bella mumbled slicing her lemon peppered chicken and placing it on to the plates. She brought over her salad and put it in front of them, handing Edward one as well. "Even though we are cooking for the judges, I couldn't let you go hungry too." She said walking over to her station and putting plastic wrap on one of each of her things. "I made Carlisle some too." She said when everyone looked at her.

Esme was the first to taste her salad. "Okay, I'm not a salad eater Bella, but this is divine. What's in it, cranberries, feta cheese, and something else…? What is it?"

"Pralines," Bella stated simply. "Coated in a light caramel sauce to bring out more flavor."

"Well dear, you have my vote on the first meal." Esme said with a smile. Edward scoffed. "I'm sorry Edward, but her salad tastes better than your stuffed cabbage."

Rose and I disagreed, but Edward knew that we would, we were meat eaters, and no matter how good Bella's salad was it couldn't replace the meat that was stuffed in the cabbage leaf. Emmet was the only one that hadn't given an answer to which was better, and for Emmet that was rather surprising. Emmet, like Rosalie and me was a meat eater, and didn't care for rabbit food unless it was on top of a juicy think burger. We watched him for a moment digging into his salad, and then finally said. "Bella, this is the greatest salad I have ever tasted! I want more! Give me more!"

"But is it better than Edward's stuffed cabbage?" I asked him.

Emmet looked at me as if I had three heads. "Better than Edward's stuffed cabbage would be turning this into an insult! Bella, this is better than anything aside from mom's home cooking that I have ever tasted, and coming from me that's saying something!"

Bella smiled and gave Emmet a hug. "Thanks Em, I'm glad you like it." It continued this way through the meal, and by the time we were done, the voting was dead locked. Edward had won the dinner but Bella took home desert. "So how are we going to be able to figure out who won?" Bella asked.

"Well, you could call it a draw." Rosalie mentioned.

"Or you could wait for Carlisle to come home and leave it to him to decide." Esme suggested.

"He'll pick Bella's because she's the guest." Edward complained.

"No he won't!" Bella exclaimed. "He'll pick mine because I am the better cook."

"In your dreams!" Edward fired back.

"You wish you were in my dreams." She called back.

"Brat!"

"Pansy!"

"Goody two shoes!"

"Momma's boy!"

"Snitch!"

"Candy assed punk!"

"Enough!" Esme shouted. "You two are acting like children instead of the twenty-five year olds that you are. There is an easier way to solve this. When Carlisle get's home, Edward you will carry Bella's dish in acting as if it is yours, and Bella you will do the same. Carlisle will pick the one he prefers and then you will have your winner. Are we understood?"

Bella nodded with a blush. "Yes Esme, you just might want to tell Edward to go and change into his big boy under shorts, don't want him being a baby when he loses."

Edward walked over to Bella and looked her in the eye. "Want to help me put them on since you seem so interested?"

I couldn't believe that he just basically propositioned her right there in front of everyone! What was that idiot thinking?! I stood there shell shocked wondering what was going to happen next, when I notice Bella square her shoulders and smile. "Sure Edward, if you really need that type of help I would be more than willing, let me just go and grab my scissors and hair dryer."

Edward just looked at her confused. "Why would you need that?"

"Because Edward," she said simply. "I need the hair dryer to burn your- cough cough penis cough cough and then the scissors are for snipping it off completely because I think I would be doing the women of the world a favor if they knew there was no chance in hell that you could pro create."

I busted out laughing. I couldn't help it. Bella was everything Edward needed in a woman, and I could see that they were going to make a great couple once they stopped fighting each other. Carlisle came in at that moment looking starved and tired. "So what's for dinner?" he asked.

~ * ~

I stared at Carlisle as he spoke. My mind was going haywire thinking about the possibilities of Edward and I alone. Though if I were being honest with myself, I knew if the opportunity arose, I would run from it. I have never been one for relationships. I just can't seem to trust the opposite sex. It wasn't that I didn't want to; it's just when every male species has found a way to let you down, why should you continue to put yourself through it?

Edward was the first to speak. "Well Dad, Bella and I made some dishes, and we want you to decide out of the two of us, who is the better cook. And you have to be fair. You can't pick Bella's just because she's the guest." He said, and I couldn't help but smile.

"And you can't pick Edward's just because he is a sniveling crybaby that thinks he's this oh so wonderful gift to the cooking world." I added which made Carlisle smile.

"Okay, bring in the meals." He said.

As was prearranged, Edward carried my meal in and I carried his. Carlisle took his time with each meal, enjoying it for what it was. I watched with abated breath as he finally got to the deserts, and totally skipped over the desert Edward made and went straight for mine. As he ate he sighed enjoying the taste of chocolate and strawberries together, and that made me smile. He then tried Edward's fruit salad. He seemed to enjoy that as well.

Edward and I stood there in front of him waiting. I hadn't realized I had grabbed his hand from the suspense that Carlisle was putting us through until I felt his thumb slide along my wrist. Normally I would have pulled my hand away, but it just felt too comforting to do so. Carlisle finally looked at us and sighed. "Okay, take this as two out of three. If I pick two out of the three dishes you win." He said.

"If that is how you want to judge this Carlisle then I am on board with it as well." I said in a smile.

"The stuffed cabbage was good." He said with a smile. "But the salad was better." Edward and I said nothing. "The lemon peppered chicken was a little dry, but was perfectly seasoned. I liked the rigatoni better though." Right now Edward and I were dead locked, and I hated the feeling. "The fruit salad was perfect, it had just the right amount of everything, but the cake beat it hands down."

"YES!!!" I exclaimed jumping up and down. "I told you I was better! In your face Mr. punk ass!"

Edward just looked at me. "Since I lost I guess I should hang my head in shame?" he asked me.

I looked at him and smiled. "Nah, then I couldn't rub it in your face with every chance I get." I then leaned in and hugged him. While in the embrace, I leaned close to his ear and whispered so that only he could hear. "If you wait until I am ready, I'll let you tell me about Charlie." I felt him nod as I pulled away. I think coming here was a good idea after all.


	8. Chapter 8

The Man She Never Knew

**AN: To my loyal readers, I hope you enjoy this chapter, I loved writing it, and as of right now it is my favorite. Please let me know what you think. I hope to put up two more chapters by Christmas, but no promises.**

Chapter Eight:

I had left my parents house that night with a smile on my face, even though I had lost the cook off, I had won at the same time because she agreed to talk about Charlie. I had to work in the morning, so I knew that I wasn't going to see her the next day, but secretly wished I was. I still couldn't believe that someone I hardly knew had affected me as much as she had in such a short time.

I sighed as I stepped out of my shower. Bella was everything that I wanted in a woman; she was smart, witty, had a great sense of humor, knew movies, and to top it off she could really cook. I had brought home her meal that she had made me, and ate before my shower. I don't know what Carlisle was talking about, her chicken wasn't dry; it was mouthwatering and perfect to be completely honest. She had won fair and square.

Bella had walked me out to my car after dinner and coffee. I was surprised that she hadn't gloated about winning, and it made me smile. "You know Edward, I was worried about this trip, but I am glad that I came, you alone have made it the most fun I have ever had on a holiday."

I smiled at her. "Well no offence Bella, but from what you were saying to me at the diner, made it sound like anything was better than the Christmas' you have been through with Charlie."

She walked up to me and hugged me. I couldn't help but think of how good she smelled. I could smell the shampoo she used; something with strawberries and cherry blossoms, the smell of the chocolate cake, and a smell that was totally and uniquely Bella. I sighed as I breathed in her scent, loving the feeling I had received from it. She smelled like home and happiness, of the seasons and nature, it was the first time I had ever felt completely right about something, or more importantly someone, and though I knew I would be a fool if I walked away from her right now, I knew it was too soon to try and ask her out.

"Edward…" she sighed my name as she held onto me. I loved the feeling of her in my arms, and couldn't help but tighten my hold on her. I wanted her to be connected to me, to hold her so close to me that she became a part of me, of my soul. I wanted her, all of her, and it scared the hell out of me.

"Bella, I got to go. I have to go to work in the morning." I said softly into her ear. This moment we were having was too intimate to speak any louder. She placed her head on my chest and sighed.

"I know." She said sadly, and right then I didn't want to leave her. "I just feel so relaxed with you and when you're near I feel as if everything fits, I know that sounds strange, but it's how I feel."

"It isn't that strange." I said softly. "I can't help feeling the same way." She looked up at me, and I stared in wonder at her eyes. They were sparkling with warmth, and compassion, and it was the most beautiful thing I think I had ever seen in my life. It was in that moment, that single moment that I knew my life was going to be different, and for once I welcomed change.

I leaned down and brought my hands to cup her face. "Bella, I'm going to kiss you." I stated knowing I had heard this line from some movie. Before she had a chance to back away, I leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She tasted of love and freedom, things I didn't know I wanted. She was hesitant for a moment then kissed me back with a fierceness that was unlike anything that I had ever felt before. Her hands climbed from my shoulders to my neck playing with the hair there. I felt her hand go deeper into my hair grabbing it so that she could feel it through her fingers, and I softly moaned into the kiss. I felt myself start to harden while holding her in my embrace, and I couldn't help loving the feelings she was making flow through my body.

Bella finally pulled away with a sigh that sounded almost like regret. Though she was the one to pull away there was no mistaking the fact that it wasn't really what she had wanted to do? "Edward, thank you for the wonderful day, I can't remember having so much fun. I hope you sleep well." She stepped away from me with an angelic smile upon her face. "I'll see you later." She sighed again.

"I don't have to go yet." I said softly taking her hand in mine. "We could just sit on the swing and talk if you want."

She smiled warmly at me. "As much as I would love that, you have to be up early in the morning, and I don't want to be the one responsible if you're cranky at work." I laughed with her.

Just then the front door opened and I heard Emmet call out. "Hey Bella, when Edward finally allows you to come in can we talk?" Bella had turned to look at him and I sighed. _There went any chance I had of getting another kiss._ I thought to myself sadly.

"Sure Emmet, I'll be in there in just a minute." Emmet went back into the house. Bella turned to me and smiled again. "Well since I'm being summoned by Emmet I guess I should get back inside. Why don't you go home, and get some sleep. I'm sure we'll see each other soon."

I leaned in and kissed her quickly. "Good night Isabella." I said stepping around and getting into my car. "I'll come by after my shift at the hospital." She nodded and walked towards the house. I started the car and as I backed out, I saw Bella had turned to watch me drive down the driveway.

I sighed again thinking about that wonderful kiss we had shared outside. She had opened my heart and allowed my soul to shine through, now all I had to figure out was how I was going to get her to become mine. I laid in bed thinking about how I was going to get her to date me, and as a plan began to form in my mind I fell into a restful sleep.

~ * ~

I stood there watching Edward drive away, wishing that he would have stayed here. He made everything here just seem ordinary, and ordinary was something that I needed. Emmet had caught us being rather intimate towards each other, and even though that didn't really bother me, I was still a little upset. I mean, Edward and I have only known each other for just a little while, and we're already acting like we have known each other for a lifetime.

I sighed as I reached for the front door, but before I could open it, Emmet came out with my jacket and two cups of hot chocolate. "I thought you and I could sit out here and talk. Sometimes, it's better to be a little cold than be in a crowded room."

I smiled. "Yes, you're right." And we made our way over to the porch swing. Once we were situated, I turned my body towards Emmet. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" I asked him.

For the first time since I had arrived, Emmet looked unsure of himself, and then I knew. He wanted to talk about my relationship with Charlie. "Bella, you're a wonderful person," he started but I cut him off.

"Emmet, if this whole conversation is going to be about Charlie, I'm really not in the mood."

"Bella." He said taking my hand in his. "I need this conversation more than you know. I need to understand, and you need to understand. Can we at least attempt to have this conversation, or at least start it?"

Looking at him, I could tell that he really did need this, and a part of me knew that I was going to have to start this soon and with someone, it might as well have been with Emmet. "Okay, but I have the right not to answer anything that makes me uncomfortable."

Emmet smiled. "Fair enough Bella, I can agree to that."

We sat there for awhile trying to figure out how to open the conversation, when finally I opened up my mouth. "Emmet, how do you know so much about me?" I know he had made the comment that Charlie would talk about me all the time, but if that were so, wouldn't Edward have tried to tell me stories as well?

"Well Bella," Emmet said taking a sip of his hot chocolate. "Are we calling Charlie your dad, or just Charlie?" he asked me. Hearing him refer to Charlie as dad seemed foreign to me so I told him to call him Charlie, so he nodded and continued. "Charlie came every year during the summer. I guess it would have been when you went out of town to your mother's house. He would get here a day o two before Edward came home from school and for that time he would catch us up on you. I was the only one that remembered you from childhood. You were so small, and an unnaturally quiet baby Bella. I always thought there was something wrong with you because you never cried, so naturally I always asked Charlie about you.

"I know from what you have said he was a terrible father to you, and that is something that I don't think I will ever understand, but I don't want you to think that I am happy about the way you grew up. No child should be without a father, and I know that even though he was there, he wasn't really there for you. Bella, despite the fact that he wasn't what you really needed him to be, you turned out well. I see that you are a loving and compassionate person, and that has nothing to do with him. I just don't understand why he could shower us with all the love that he should have been giving to you?"

I stared at Emmet for a long while trying to give him the answers he wanted and then finally sighed. "Emmet, I'm going to tell you a story, and I want you to take it for what it is. When my mother was with Charlie, things were good. He gave me piggy back rides, and taught me how to climb the oak tree in the back yard, read me bedtime stories, and kissed me good night. He even told me that he loved me, but when mom started pulling away from him, he started pulling away from me. I guess I look too much like my mom." A sad chuckle left my mouth. "When mom left, so did my father. He stopped speaking to me, but I didn't go without mind you. He always made sure there was food in the house and I had clothes, but he wasn't there if you understand what I'm saying. He wouldn't look at me, talk to me unless it was about getting high marks in school, he made it impossible to form a relationship. I thought parents were supposed to love their children no matter what, I guess I was wrong." I looked at Emmet. "What was he like?" I whispered.

I hadn't realized I was crying until Emmet wiped my tears from my cheek and pulled me into a hug. "Charlie was a good man, Bella, I don't know why he pushed you away, but I know he loved you. He loved you very much Bella. Your father may not have been able to give you the love and attention that you dearly wanted, but trust me when I tell you that I didn't doubt for a moment that he loved you.

"When Charlie would talk about you, his eyes would light up and the smile on his face seemed almost magical. I had asked him one year why he never brought you with him, and he said that you wouldn't want to come to Chicago, that you like Florida. I always found it odd that he never brought you with him, but I figured that it was what you wanted."

"I never knew about you all." I whispered. "I had met Carlisle years and years ago, but I never knew who any of you were." Tears were streaming down my face as I sobbed for all that I never had. Emmet would have made a great brother figure, and Alice was a wonderful woman that I would have loved like a sister, and Edward, well Edward would have been the guy that I would have dreamt going out with and falling in love. Thinking about this was making me angry. Not only did Charlie screw me out of a warming life of happiness, but he deprived them as well.

"I wish we would have known you other than through Charlie." Emmet whispered. "I wish that things would have been different. That Charlie was better to you."

"It doesn't help to live in the past." I said softly to him. "But I know that even though we hardly know each other, I already love you all. I'm just so sorry that Charlie ruined the chances for us to grow up and get to know each other."

Emmet hugged me tighter to him and sighed. "Bella, were you…"

I knew what he wanted to know. "Yes, I was there when he died. The only thing he said to me was 'Isabella I want you to do something for me. I want you to go and see Carlisle Cullen. He'll know who you are. Remember his name, now get out of here.'" I stared into Emmet's eyes, and for the first time I saw the exact same emotions that I was feeling reflected in Emmet's eyes. "Emmet, can we keep this conversation between us for right now? I'm not ready to talk about Charlie with Carlisle, or Esme. They knew him best, and I'm too emotionally unstable to be able to sit there and not be judgmental."

"Edward knew Charlie the best out of us. Charlie had a special bond with Edward that he didn't have with us. If you really want to know about Charlie, I would talk to him." He said standing up. "Now I think we have had enough emotional crap for one night what do you say to playing some mortal combat on the Sega?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "You still play a Sega?" I said standing.

"Hell yeah!" Emmet exclaimed. "I am the fucking king of Sega!"

"Alright fearless leader, lead the way." And we entered into the house.


	9. Chapter 9

The Man She Never Knew

**AN: I know, two chapters in a day! Holy Crap right? Well don't get too excited. I had to add this so I can spend time on the next Chapter. This is sort of short compared to my normal chapters, but this is important to the continuation of the story. Please review, I love knowing that you like this story.**

Chapter Nine: Paging Doctor Cullen

God I was hungry. I had woken up late, no time for coffee, couldn't even stop by the diner for something quick to eat, and I was stressed out the trauma department because they had too much drama going on there. Ever since the board of directors hired the bungalow twins the trauma department has been slow. I had informed them on a number of occasions that the trauma room was not here for them to look down at women and try and get men to fuck them on their desks. I think I am going to have to have a word with the board about getting rid one if not both of them. I can't have them setting this hospital up for a lawsuit.

It was almost nine in the morning and I had been here since five. To say that I was starving was an understatement. Walking into my office I couldn't help but think to myself how much I would kill for a cup of sweet black coffee, and some stuffed French toast. With a sigh I opened my office and my nose was hit with the smell of fresh coffee and French toast. No one was in my office, but the food was fresh and it was from the diner.

I walked over to my chair and saw that it indeed was my favorite breakfast on my desk. I couldn't help the smile that came upon my face, and though I didn't know who had put the breakfast on my desk, I was silently thanking them as I dug in.

After I had eaten the breakfast, I noticed a wrapped gift sitting against the wall. It was large, but not over whelming. I slowly walked over to it and read the gift tag.

_To: Edward_

_From: Santa_

I continued to stare at it wondering who would get me a present, and debated on if I should open it or not. My better judgment won out and I opened it. Peeling the paper on the box I realized what it was. It was a large keyboard with an envelope taped to it. I pulled the envelope off of the box and opened it.

_Edward,_

_ I know you couldn't wait to open this, luckily I'm not really Santa Clause, because then he would have to call you a pansy assed momma's boy. If you still haven't guessed who this is then you are dumber than a box of rocks._

_ I wanted to do something special for you, and after watching you play the piano I knew this was the best gift for you. I would like you to keep it in your office that way when you feel as though you have too much on your plate and need a few minutes to yourself, you don't have to travel to the chapel for a few moments of peace. You just seem so peaceful while you play, and I thought you might like this._

_ I hope you like your breakfast; Alice is helping me with sneaking this in. Please enjoy it. When you get off of work please go straight home. There will be a surprise waiting for you. That is all I am going to say._

_ Always,_

_ Bella_

I read then reread the letter from Bella. How did she know about my stress with life? It was the most thoughtful gift I had ever received, and because of it, I felt all the stresses that had come my way today melt away as I opened the box and set up the keyboard with the stand. In two days, Bella had learned my deepest secret and embraced it in the only way that she could, by bringing the peace into my office. And I knew then that I was already in love with Isabella Swan. It didn't matter that we had just met, and it didn't matter that she lived in a different state. I fell in love with her the moment I first laid eyes upon her beautiful face.

"_True love never comes when you expect it."_ I heard Charlie's voice in my head. I hadn't thought of that conversation in four years, and now it was sitting right in the front of my mind.

~ _Four Years Ago ~_

_I sat there on the porch next to Uncle Charlie. Today was one of the few days I had a chance to take a break from the hospital. Charlie had made it clear that he wanted to talk to me before he went back up to Forks so I made it a point to make the time for him. He smiled as he handed me a beer and I took a sip. _

"_Edward, I need to give you some advice that you're going to blow off until it happens, but I still need to give it to you."_

_I stared at Uncle Charlie as if he were crazy. "What words of wisdom do you have for me today Uncle Charlie?" I asked him. In the last three years he had been giving me advice on love as if he knew something big was going to happen. _

"_You're twenty-one years old now Edward, it's time you know about love."_

"_I already know about love Uncle Charlie."_

_Charlie looked at me for a moment and sighed. "Edward, shut up and take some words of wisdom. Don't be like me. When you find love, you need to hold on to it with a fierceness. Don't do what I did with Renee, and let it go. You can never take back words, remember that. True love never comes when you expect it. It could land on your door step with the most unknown attentions and if you turn it away, you're a fool._

"_Love is a once in a lifetime experience, what you may think is love now isn't love. Love is known the moment that you lay your eyes upon the other person. It is the breath you take when you see their smile or the racing of your heart when their eyes meet yours. They become your air, your being, they become your life!_

"_Don't be like me Edward, don't regret decisions you made and cannot change. Don't say things in anger, because no matter how much you wish you can take them back you never can. Don't do something that you will be ashamed of when you're thirty, because if you think you'll be ashamed of it later, odds are so with your wife. Don't think that just because your day was stressful at the job, that your wife running around with your two year old daughter didn't have just as much of a stressful day. Remember to help each other in every way that you can, and remember why you are with each other. Never forget that it's a partnership and not one of you can do it alone. Don't be like me Edward."_

_I sat there looking a Charlie knowing there was nothing I could say. I replayed everything that he had just spoke to remember it and filed it away. I knew this conversation was important, I just didn't know why. Uncle Charlie had just laid every piece of advice he had on me, and to say that my mind was a cluster fuck trying to sort it out and file it away was a lie. I had just been bombarded with a huge piece of advice that was going to be very important someday._

_I quickly drank down my beer and put my hand on Uncle Charlie's shoulder. "Thanks Uncle Charlie, and don't worry I won't let the right girl slip through my fingers." I said._

_Charlie placed his hand over mine, and said softly. "I thought the same thing…" I left him there on the porch lost in him memories of the one woman he had loved and lost. I promised myself that moment that I didn't want to end up like Uncle Charlie, and I hadn't._

_~ Present time ~_

"Damn Uncle Charlie." I said softly to myself. "How did you know?" I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that he knew she would come. That he knew I would fall in love with her. He knew I was going to meet Bella, his flesh and blood and fall madly in love with her.

I stared out into the nothingness of my memory for a moment, and then made a choice. I was going to let it all go. Throw my insecurities out the window and take my chances on a woman that could quite possibly be the only woman I would ever love. I thanked Charlie for bringing her to me, even if it was in some sick and twisted way, and stood up. I had five hours left of work and then I was going to head home and see what Bella left for me there.


	10. Chapter 10

The Man She Never Knew

**AN: Okay, I know this is overdue, and I want to tell you that I am sorry. I had a problem with writing this chapter because I wasn't sure if I grasped Alice the way that I wanted to. I also want to say that this is also long overdue because I was made to feel as though I cannot write, but after thinking about this statement, I have found that if you don't like the story you wouldn't read it. So with that said here is chapter ten, and I am going to get chapter eleven out as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy it, and please let me know what y'all think!**

Chapter Ten:

We walked out of the hospital with smiles upon our faces. I knew in my heart that Edward was going to love the keyboard and breakfast. I had wanted this day to be special for him. Being the Chief of staff at a major hospital was stressful to say the least. I had seen E.R. and from watching that show, even though I was sure not all hospitals were like that, I couldn't help but feel as though Edward was doing the American people a great favor. It took guts to be a doctor, having to deal with knowing that not every patient was going to make it, and still striving to do the best job with each life put in front of you. Personally, I thought he was a hero, or maybe more an angel for what it was that he did.

We were driving to the store so that I could buy some supplies for the dinner I was planning to make Edward when Alice glanced over at me. "Bella, can I ask you something?"

I stared at her for a minute. In the short time I had gotten to know Alice, she was mostly playful and happy, so when she looked serious I was just a little surprised. "Sure Alice, what would you like to know?"

It took her a moment to ask. Her face looked as though she were struggling through how to ask what it was that she had wanted to know. "Now Bella, don't take this the wrong way, but the suspense is killing me. What is going on with you and Edward?"

I couldn't help but laugh. I didn't even know what was going on between Edward and I, how was I supposed to explain this to Alice? I mean, sure it was obvious that there was an attraction between Edward and I, how could there not be? And the chemistry that radiated off of us happened to be so think that you could cut it with a knife, but that didn't mean that we were anything, and I wasn't the type of girl that was interested in a fling; and that was what this would end up being if I allowed it. Edward's home was the hospital here, and my home was in Washington. Even if there were intense feelings between us, I couldn't leave my home, I had worked so hard to make it a home instead of a house.

I sighed. "Alice, I don't know what is going on with Edward and myself, but I do know that your brother is a wonderful person, and yes I am attracted to him, but it won't work out."

"Why the hell not?" she said shocked. "Edward is a good catch."

"It's nothing like that Alice." I sighed knowing that this was going to be complicated. "I'm very independent. I don't ever want to feel as though I have to count on a man for anything ever. Edward is content here, and I am content where I am. I may live in a small town where nothing really goes on, but I love the hokey feel of it. I haven't lived in a big city before, and I don't want to. Edward loves it here, and anyone can see that. Even if we were to try something out, it wouldn't work. I couldn't allow him to move, and I sure as hell am not moving here."

We had reached the store, but hadn't moved from the car. Alice was staring at me as if she wanted to say something. She looked conflicted with what it was that she wanted to say. I wished she would just spit it out, and finally she did. "Bella, Edward is falling for you. I know you most likely don't want to hear that, but the truth is that he has never showed interest in any woman what so ever, and yet you came sweeping into his life like a force to be reckoned with and he is enjoying every second of this new feeling."

"How do you know that?" I gasped. Had Edward told her that he had feelings for me? I could feel the beginnings of a panic attack coming forth. This was not what I came here for. I didn't want a relationship; I didn't want to feel like I did for a man that I hardly knew. Oh God what I am getting myself into?!

My breathing started to become erratic, and Alice looked at me. "Bella, are you alright?" she asked.

I couldn't catch my breath. I violently shook my head no. "I- I'm ha- hav- having a… a… p- pa- pan… ic a- att-" I started.

"Panic attack! I don't know what to do! Open your door and put your head in between your legs! Take slow deep breaths!" Alice yelled getting out of the car and running to my door and opening it. I stared at her as I did what she said, I then heard her on the phone. "Edward quick! How do you stop a panic attack! No I'm not the one that is having it! Okay and what happens if that doesn't work? Bring her to the hospital?! Yes it's Bella!" I was starting to feel my heart begin to slow down. Though I didn't dare to lift my head above my knees, I tried to get Alice's attention.

"Alice." I knew I sounded breathy and weak, but that was the best I could do right now. She looked at me. "I'm going… to be… fine… calm… down."

She put her phone on the roof of the car and squatted down in front of me. "Don't ever scare me like that!" she said sternly. "Is it because I brought up Edward?" she asked me. I couldn't lie so I just nodded.

Alice grabbed her phone and told Edward that I was fine and hung up. "Look Bella, I didn't tell you this to make you have a panic attack, I told you because you need to know that you affect Edward just as much as he affects you."

I knew what Alice was saying, but I still didn't want to hear the truth that rang through her words. Edward was a wonderful person and if we would have met on different circumstances then everything may have been different, but this was my holiday, not everyday life, and I would be damned if I was going to ruin someone's life.

"Come on Alice, let's get the food for dinner." I said walking towards the grocery store.

We had been walking through the produce section looking for the veggies for the salad to go with my manicotti, when Alice sighed. "Bella, I know you don't want to talk about you and my brother, so I want to talk to you about something else. I need to tell someone so I can get through the first hurtle, and be able to tell my family."

I looked at her not understanding what it was that she was trying to say. "Alice, you aren't pregnant are you?" It was the only logical thought that went through my head.

Alice just laughed. "No Bella, I'm on the pill, there isn't any baby growing in me." I studied her for a moment and sighed when I couldn't figure out what she was going to tell me. "Look Bella, this is hard for me to say, only because in the couple of days that I have known you I have come to respect you and think of you as a member of the family. I mean you are Uncle Charlie's daughter, and that makes you family anyway, but what I need to say isn't going to go over well once my family finds out. I mean, I'm twenty-one years old and my parents still look at me as if I am a sixteen year old space case."

I started laughing. "Well whatever it is you are about to tell me Alice, can't be that bad. I wouldn't open with that though when you tell your family what it is though."

"Bella, I'm married. I married Jasper three months ago in Vegas. He went home to see his parents, while I came here to get my parents ready to meet him."

I looked at her. "Are you serious Alice? Your brothers are going to beat the hell out of him. Just think what Emmet is going to do to Jasper. Everyone already thinks that he's on steroids as it is!"

"I know! I know okay! I love him. I wouldn't have married him if I didn't love him, and he is everything to me. Bella he's my southern gentleman, and knight in shining armor all in one. I hate keeping it from my family, but the first thing they would say is that I am too young to be married, and that I don't know what I am getting myself into, but the truth is that I do know. I want to be a wife, and I want to be in the type of relationship that my parents have. How could I not knowing that they are perfect for one another, and that their relationship is what I based Jasper and I on. I know there will be no one that comes close to what Jasper is for me, and the same goes for what I am to him. I am his everything just as he is mine, and I don't ever want to let him go. I love him Bella, I love him like the flowers love the rain, like the children love a snow day. I love him."

I stared at the girl next to me as if this was the first time I had ever really seen her. Alice was so convicted in her feelings for this Jasper that I knew she was speaking the truth. She did love him, and this wasn't some short fling that was going to end badly for either party involved. Finally I sighed. "Alice if you're happy then your parents will be happy. Just tell them what you told me and everything will be well. I promise."

"Thank you." She said softly. I hugged her to me and smiled. "I'm looking forward to meeting the man that can keep you in check sweetie. Now come on, let's finish this up and get to Edward's house." We walked the store slowly, finished our shopping, and then made our way to Edward's so I could start making dinner.

Edward would be home in a couple of hours and I wanted this to be a good dinner. I didn't want him to have to stress about anything when he walked in the door, just to be calm and enjoy our night together. I had decided to ask about my father, and hope that he could shed some light on what made Charlie the way that he was.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Alright my faithful readers, here is chapter 11, and I hope you enjoy. There is a little bit of sexual content through out the middle of this chapter, so you have been warned. I want to thank all of you who reviewed, it means a lot to me to know that you all care enough about these characters to let me know what you think, please keep it up, I swear for some reason they make me write the chapters faster. Enjoy!!!**

Chapter Eleven:

The day had been rather long in his opinion. He had to fire Lauren for insubordination which though he knew it had to be done he took no pleasure from it. The only thing that had kept him same all the rest of the day was in knowing Bella had done something special just for him.

He sighed as he stepped out of his car and began walking towards the house. As he opened the door his senses took over. He heard Tracy Chapman in the background playing softly, and candles were displayed thought out the living room and dining room. The scent of freshly baked apple pie and manicotti informed him of one thing. Bella had cooked him dinner.

He walked slowly into the kitchen and caught his breath. Bella was standing in his kitchen softly singing to the music while she chopped the salad. It seemed as though she belonged there, and the thought of her with him sat comfortably on his shoulders. He gently cleared his throat so as not to startle her, and smiled when she met his gaze. "So umm… Surprise?" she said softly.

Edward walked up to her and hugged her. "Thank you for breakfast this morning, and the keyboard."

"I just hope I didn't overstep any boundaries…" she said softly, a slight blush appearing on her face.

"Don't worry, no boundaries were broken. Actually, to be perfectly honest, your gifts were the highlight of my day."

"I'm glad you liked them." She looked up into his apple green eyes and nearly lost herself. He was breathtaking, with his dishelmed bronze hair, and crooked half grin that she couldn't stop herself from raising to her tiptoes so that her face was almost level with his. She leaned towards his mouth and brought her lips to his kissing them softly. Edward latched onto her lips as if he was a starving man, and she was the prime rib of the meal.

Her soft moan as his hand slid into her hair burned him. The kiss was over too soon though. Bella pulled away from him. She laughed as Edward gently tugged on his hair in frustration. "Go clean up for dinner, I'll be setting the table."

"Okay." He said giving her a quick kiss before going into the bedroom.

Walking into my bedroom, I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face thinking of Bella's sweet smile and lovely brown eyes. She was compassionate, intelligent, the most beautiful woman in the world, and I would be a complete and total dumbass if I let her go.

I was falling in love with Bella Swan, and though the thought should have scared the shit out of me, it didn't. Three weeks ago if someone would have told me I would be falling head over heels in love with someone, I would have laughed in their face, but now, I just sigh and a goofy grin touches my lips.

I quickly walk into my closet looking for something to match Bella's attire, but come up with nothing. I turn back towards my room and spot clothes on my bed. Walking towards them I saw that Alice had picked out a pair of dark blue loose fitting jeans, a light tan turtleneck sweater, and my body spray. 'Thank you Alice.' I thought to myself as I scooped up my clothes, headed into the bathroom, and started the shower.

Bella's smile continued to cross my mind, then the feel of her silky light chocolate hair, and I couldn't help the groan that escaped my lips. I was already hard with the thoughts that I was having for the goddess in my kitchen, and all I had done was kiss her. There was no way that I was going to be able to control myself around her when just the feel of her hair and lips against my skin sent me into a deep wanting passion.

I needed to find release, or I wouldn't be able to control my primal urge to attack her and claim her as mine. The thought of her moans sent my hand around my shaft, slowly stroking it thinking of her lips starting at my neck and licking her way down my body. My hands caressing her back and sliding up into her hair as her face reaches my waist. I look down at her face and I see her looking up at me with those doe eyes as if begging me to allow her to wrap her pretty little mouth around my throbbing cock.

The knowing smile that appears on her face tells me all I need to know about what is about to happen, and before she even does anything, just the thought makes me moan. The next thing I know I feel her tongue flick across my tip licking up the bit of juice that had appeared there. My hands tightened in her hair as my hips were thrusting slightly towards her face. It was that moment that she took me completely into her mouth. I felt her nose brush against my happy trail and her hands snake up to my thighs.

As she sucked me deeply inside her mouth I jolted further into her mouth when one of her hands left my thigh and cupped my balls rubbing and massaging them. She was a goddess, knowing just how to please me, and I would be her humble servant if only she ask.

With a few more quick strokes and the thought of Bella swallowing me, I came on the shower wall. This woman was going to be the death of me, I was sure, but what a way to die and be reborn.

I quickly finished my shower and dressed. I didn't want to make Bella wait too long. Forgoing socks I walked out into the living area and saw Bella scrambling around the kitchen distracted. "Bella, is everything alright?"

"Bella, is everything alright?" Edward said to me as he walked out of his room. If only he knew!

I had to think fast about a response that I could make rather believable, because I knew I couldn't tell him the truth. "Umm, yeah, I got distracted when I was looking at your music collection. I was rather impressed with the vast differences you have with music. I mean, you have music from every decade, and you being my age it wasn't something that I expected. You have music from Bessie Smith, Sammy Kaye, Les Brown, Frankie Valley and the four seasons, Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, The Andrew sisters, I mean look at your collection!" I said. His collection was like the ark compared to mine, but he had a lot of the musical artists that I listened to and loved.

Edward laughed. "I wouldn't have taken you for a girl that liked the oldies." He said with the crooked grin that turned me into a mental puddle of goo.

"Oh yes, that was when music was good, now you have to listen to people screaming into a microphone, and not understanding much of anything that they say. It gives me a damn headache sometimes."

"Well then remind me never to play slipknot or something heavy for you." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"So shall we have dinner?" I asked sweetly.

"I would love that. It smells great." He walked over to my chair and pulled it out for me so that I could sit, then pushed me in. He smelled like a cross between heavenly angel and deviant devil at the same time, and the scent of him sent me back to what I had walked in on just minutes ago.

I didn't want to rush him, but I was worried that I really had overstepped my boundaries when I allowed myself into his home and made him dinner. I had heard the shower when I opened his bedroom door. I was going to just knock on the bathroom door and tell him dinner was done, but he had left the door slightly opened. There really is no excuse for what I was about to do, but in my defense, that man did crazy things to my girlie parts and I wanted to know if seeing all of him would capture my overwhelming desire. I was not disappointed.

Opening the door slowly I saw Edward standing under the shower. His back was to me so at least I knew that he couldn't see me. My eyes scanned over the man. When my eyes reached his ass I moaned softly; I was worried he heard me, because of his quick intake of breath, but then I realized what he was doing.

Edward was jerking himself off, and just thinking about the risk that I was taking being in his bathroom watching him was so erotic that I was instantly aroused. My nipples were hard and I was thoroughly wet through my panties. I took a slow step towards the shower, part of me wishing I was in that shower using my mouth on his, the other appalled by what I was doing. It was then that Edward called my name as he came and I quickly rushed out of his bathroom and quickly into the kitchen, which brought us to the here and now.

We sat in silence for a few moments when he decided to break it. "This is absolutely fabulous." I didn't hear him say that though. My mind was in the gutter after seeing him in all of his natural glory, so I heard. "You are completely breathtaking."

"Thank you." I said. I knew if I didn't get naughty Bella in check this whole evening would turn into a complete disaster. "So how was work?"

Edward stared at me for a moment then laughed bitterly. "Well, I had to fire one of the people today. She deserved to be fired, but I have firing anyone."

"Well, sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do Edward, but at the end of the day you are only responsible for your actions. This girl must have realized her time was coming to a close."

"She's been a problem pretty much since the beginning of her employment. I can't get into the details about it, but yet again this day only was survivable because of you and your gifts. Thinking of you brought a smile to my face throughout the day."

I couldn't hide the blush that began to appear across my face. Edward was thoughtful, sweet, and even though I really liked him, I knew better than to trust him completely. Men like him would say anything to make a girl weak in the knees so that they can have their way with them. Though I will admit that the more time I was spending with him, was really starting to make me question if my thoughts on men like him were right.

Edward didn't fit the classic 'male chauvinistic pig' setup like other males of his stature. He wasn't overly confidant in himself; he just knew that he was smart and could handle basic problems. He didn't brag about his background. Just because he came from privilege, didn't mean that he just sat around using his mommy and daddy, or some trust fund that was set up on. He was a good person, smart, caring, would have given you the shirt off his back type of person, and being honest with myself for just this brief moment I had to admit, he was everything I wanted in a good man and more. God, why did I have to live so far away?

While I was away in my own thoughts Edward interrupted me. "Bella, so are you going to tell me what I did to deserve you cooking me dinner?"

I looked at him with a genuine smile on my face. "The truth is that I was hoping that I could talk to you about Charlie. I want to better understand who he was. I lived with that man all my life and the only things I really know about him was that he took his coffee with just a light splash of cream, ate everyday at the diner unless I left him a note telling him that dinner was in the fridge, and that he couldn't even stomach looking at me because I look like my mother."

So Bella wanted to know about her father. How was I going to tell her of all the memories I had of him and not make her hate him more than she already did? Did I really even have a choice? Looking into her eyes I knew, there was no way out of this conversation; I just hoped that I would be able to shed some light on what made Uncle Charlie the way that he was. "Well Bella, what do you want to know?"


	12. Chapter 12

The Man She Never Knew

**AN: Here is Chapter Twelve, I'm sorry it took so long, but I re-wrote it like ten times before I liked it. Please review and let me know what you think!**

Chapter Twelve:

That was the question. What did I want to know about my father. I already knew that he hated me. I knew that I wasn't what he had wanted, and I knew that no matter what I wouldn't have ever been what he would have wanted, all because I didn't have a dick between my legs. Huh, it was funny how things like a person's anatomy decided if you could love the person or not.

Looking at Edward for a few minutes, I couldn't help but wonder if this was actually a good idea, I mean this was diving into his private thoughts about a man that he was close to and loved dearly. Was it fair to make him think ill of Charlie? Even if he was a rotten father to me, that didn't mean he was that way with Edward, Emmet, or Alice. It just didn't seen completely fair to push him into talking about him. "Are you sure you want to talk about him with me?" I asked him.

He said nothing for a moment then sighed. "Bella, you have a right to know who your father was, even if he didn't treat you the way that you were entitled to be treated. If you are wondering if this is going to hurt me to talk about it, the answer is yes, but not for the reason that you are thinking. I don't want to hurt _you_ Bella. That's why this is going to hurt me. I want to keep you from the pain, but I realize that you've already dealt with enough pain for this lifetime, and that you need to know the man that he was here in order to understand the man he was there. So go ahead and ask me anything that you want."

I looked him in the eyes and sighed. "Does it always have to be this hard?" I said softly to myself knowing that he had heard me.

"It's only as hard as you make it." He said softly.

"Okay." I said back with a soft smile on my face. There were so many questions I had for him, and though I wanted to know all the answers I wanted the harder ones asked first. "Edward, my father never talked to me about anything but grades, never told me he was proud of me, and never, not once ever told me he loved me after my mother left. What was your relationship like with him?"

I sat there wondering if he was going to answer me. Everyone said that he was closest with Charlie, but part of me didn't want to believe it. I could honestly see why Charlie favored him if I were to be honest with myself, but why couldn't this whole ordeal be as simple as it should have been?

I continued to stare at him, wishing that I knew what it was that he was thinking, and yet knowing that part of me stumbled into a part of him that was his and his alone. He had loved my father like a son should have, just as I had loved him until it just hurt too much to try?

"My relationship with your dad was different than most relationships between an uncle and nephew. I loved him Bella, I mean I looked up to him and went to him for advice. He was very wise, and I say this because he gave me a few life lessons that then I didn't realize were. He taught me through his personal experiences, and he didn't want me to ever make the same mistakes that he himself had made.

"Charlie told me something the last fishing trip that we took together that I have never forgotten, and I want to share it with you. I think this one memory of him with me let me see just how broken he really was. We were talking about love and I was basically blowing what he was saying off like it really didn't matter, but it did, and he made sure that I heard him. He said. 'Edward, shut up and take some words of wisdom. Don't be like me. When you find love, you need to hold on to it with a fierceness. Don't do what I did with Renee, and let it go. You can never take back words, remember that. True love never comes when you expect it. It could land on your door step with the most unknown attentions and if you turn it away, you're a fool.

"Love is a once in a lifetime experience, what you may think is love now isn't love. Love is known the moment that you lay your eyes upon the other person. It is the breath you take when you see their smile or the racing of your heart when their eyes meet yours. They become your air, your being, they become your life!

"Don't be like me Edward, don't regret decisions you made and cannot change. Don't say things in anger, because no matter how much you wish you can take them back you never can. Don't do something that you will be ashamed of when you're thirty, because if you think you'll be ashamed of it later, odds are so will your wife. Don't think that just because your day was stressful at the job; that your wife running around with your two year old daughter didn't have just as much of a stressful day. Remember to help each other in every way that you can, and remember why you are with each other. Never forget that it's a partnership and not one of you can do it alone. Don't be like me Edward.' He said this to me, and Bella, I truly think that he believed it. He loved you Bella, I know that he did. Maybe you weren't the boy that he had always wanted, and maybe you weren't the sports nut that he craved either, but you are who you are, and who you are is a beautiful, talented woman that any father would be proud of."

The tears were already steaming down my face. Just by Edward sharing that one lesson with me I already understood that there was more to him than I realized. He brought me up to Edward, he said his two year old daughter. I guess I really did remind him of my mother. "You know," I whispered. "Charlie, did give me one piece of advice throughout the years that I didn't understand, and I remember it because as I've said before he and I didn't talk. But Six years ago he pulled me aside as I was heading out the door to work, looked me dead in the eyes, and said. 'Isabella, I know that sometimes life is hard for you, sometimes things don't go the way that you think that they should, and that it kills you, but you remember one thing, every person looks at their problems one way or another, there is no right way to handle it or a wrong way. Sometimes in order to figure out what you yourself need is not without hurting someone that you love. There is no way around it sometimes. Just know that it's never the other persons attention to hurt, they just don't know how to fix themselves. You remember that. Now get out of here and go to work.' I couldn't believe that he had spoken to me, let alone all of that." I said softly.

Edward stood up and walked over to me, kneeing down to look me in the eye. "I think in a way your dad was trying to tell you that he was sorry that your relationship sucked. He knew that it was his fault, but he also believed that it was too late to fix it."

I looked at Edward, bringing my hand to his cheek, gently caressing his jaw with my thumb. "I'm so glad I came here." I whispered to him softly.

His brilliant green eyes gazed into mine and a soft smile tugged at his lips. "So am I." he whispered back. He stood then and smiled extending his hand to me. "Dance with me, Bella."

I stared at him for a moment and then decided. Who was I to tell him no. I took his hand and allowed him to lead me to the living room. Soft music was playing and I couldn't help but smile as he took me into his arms and began twirling me around the floor. Even with my tears for my father, this man before me had turned a night that I was dreading into the single most romantic night of my life, how was I ever going to say goodbye to him after Christmas?


End file.
